Conference Proceeding
Structured road markings are becoming popular as edge line on high speed roads, ensuring night time visibility (retroreflection) during rain. These markings are often also "audio-tactile": vehicles (un)intentionally driving over it may produce much more tyre/road sound, which may be observed in the vehicle but also in the vicinity. The sound increase inside the car can be considered as a positive side effect, as it alarms the driver and may be very helpful for the prevention of "doze off" traffic accidents. The sound increase perceived outside the car however, may have a positive aspect as it can warn people on the emergency lane about the approaching vehicle, but it may as well annoy people living around. A method for the assessment of the acoustic properties of audio-tactile markings has been developed. It is mainly based on the "Close Proximity" (CPX) method, an ISO method intended for the acoustic assessment of pavements. The results of measurement campaigns with CPX trailers in Belgium and Germany according to a specially designed procedure are presented. The feasibility of the method is discussed. The research has been carried out in the frame of the standardization activities of the CEN working group CEN/TC226/WG2 "Horizontal signalization".
Neben den Herausforderungen der Digitalisierung und den sich daraus ergebenden Chancen im Verkehrssektor, rücken aktuell die Themengebiete Ressourcenknappheit, Klimawandel und Klimaschutz in den Vordergrund. Im Bereich des Straßenbaus sind insbesondere die Kriterien „Produkt- und Prozessqualität“ in Verbindung mit den LZP „Planung und Realisierung“ anzuführen, da in diesen beiden Phasen die Qualität bzw. die Nachhaltigkeit des Straßenoberbaus maßgeblich geprägt wird. In Bezug auf die Nachhaltigkeit kann der Straßenoberfläche faktisch eine Schlüsselrolle zugeschrieben werden. Für die ganzheitliche Bewertung der Qualität im Zusammenhang mit der Nachhaltigkeit von Straßenoberflächen wurde ein vorstellbares Bewertungsmodell entwickelt. Die Performances Griffigkeit, Ebenheit, Geräuschpegel und Rollwiderstand wurden in Anlehnung an das europäische Reifenlabel sowie aufgrund ihrer signifikanten Wirkung auf die fünf Aspekte der Nachhaltigkeit gewählt und daher nahezu gleich gewichtet. Im Bereich des Betonstraßenbaus kann dieses Modell beispielweise dazu dienen, eine ganzheitliche Bewertung von Grindingtexturen vornehmen zu können. So wird derzeit eine Vielzahl verschiedener Texturen der Generation „Texturgrinding“ (Typ S und Typ S+) auf Bundesautobahnen erprobt. Dabei wird primär das Ziel verfolgt, diese zeitnah als alternative Standardtexturen für den Betonstraßenbau einzuführen. Die nachfolgende Generation (Typ A und Typ A+) verfolgt u. a. die gezielte Texturierung für eine performanceorientierte Oberflächengestaltung. In einer nächsten Texturgeneration wäre somit die Herstellung von High Performance Road Surfaces (HPRS) möglich. Das Label besitzt die Aufgabe, den Nutzer beim Kauf über die Kriterien Rollwiderstand, Nasshaftung und Geräuschemission im Zusammenhang mit einer höheren Fahrsicherheit, weniger Umweltverschmutzung und weniger Kraftstoffverbrauch hinreichend zu informieren.
Airbags are, together with the three-point belt, the most effective passive safety equipment of vehicles. However, literature shows that sound pressure levels of up to 170 dB can occur during airbag deployment. A literature review revealed no systematic experimental data on possible hearing loss by airbag deployment, that also takes any other crash accompanied noise into account, such as deformation and impact noise. Also the rising number of airbags per vehicle resulting in a higher number of deployed airbags in an accident was not addressed with respect to hearing loss. Thus, an extensive test matrix of noise measurements during airbag deployments was conducted including onboard measuring during crashes and static measurements. Dynamic and static experiments with single and multiple airbag deployments were conducted. The results of this study show, that in the analyzed crash constellations the acoustic emission of the collision as well as the car deformation can trigger the stapedius reflex before the airbag deployment. The stapedius reflex protects the inner ear at least partially in case of dangerous sound levels. However, it seems that multiple airbag deployments in a short sequence pose a considerable risk for hearing impairments despite the fully contracted stapedius muscle. Further and in line with Price et al. (2013) it was found that the risk of hearing loss is lower with closed windows. The analysis of patient and accident data showed no link between airbag deployment and hearing loss. This might be caused by low case numbers of reported hearing loss problems up to now. In conclusion the results show that a singular analysis of the sound pressure of airbag deployments without crash accompanied noises is not sufficient as the protective effect of the stapedius reflex is neglected. Still, successive airbag deployments in a short timeframe raise the risk of hearing loss. Further investigation on hearing impairment due to airbag deployment and triggering of the stapedius reflex is needed and the data acquisition of accidents and patients should consider hearing loss aspects.
Road markings are an essential component of a safe road. In particular, the optical guidance at night and under wet conditions rates high. Special surface textures of road markings can enhance the nighttime visibility during wetness, but they can lead on the other hand to noise emission during passages of vehicles and thus annoy residents. In the present study the tyre/road marking noise is analysed based on two different measurement methods for traffic noise: Several different road markings with increased nighttime visibility during wetness were overrun and the noise was determined by controlled coast-by measurements as well as close-proximity measurements. For both measuring methods the averaged A-weighted sound pressure levels were determined and an analysis of the third octave spectra was performed in order to identify annoying tonal components. The results of both measurement methods were compared with each other. Limitations of the individual measurement methods were overcome by combining the data. Properties of road marking noise depending on the texture of the marking are discussed in relation to those of road surface noise. The results will help specifying road marking texture types that ensure less annoyance and at the same time good visibility at wetness and night-time.
The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology is funding a projectrncalled "Leistra2" with the aim of understanding the tire road contact and to find measures to reduce traffic noise, in particular to reduce the noise of tires rolling on pavements, i.e. tire-road noise. The project is composed out of three mayor subjects, low noise tires, low noise pavements and verification of the results, each made out of single sub-projects. The purpose of this paper is to give a survey about Leistra2 and to report about the latest activities and results. More detailed information and contact data of the partners involved can be found at http://www. LeiStra2.de. The program is the successor of the program LeiStra (Leiser Strassenverkehr), dealing with similar topics.rn