Evaluation of Tire-Road Noise Sound Quality on Dense-graded Asphalt Concrete Pavements Using Physical and Psychoacoustic Parameters

To scientifically evaluate the effects of pavement type and vehicle speed on tire-road noise, this study tested and analyzed tire-road noise on nine typical asphalt pavements (AC-10, AC-13 and SMA-13) using a combination of physical and psychoacoustic methods. Sound pressure levels, loudness, sharpness, roughness, and fluctuation strength were employed to analyze the tire-road noise characteristics across different vehicle speeds comprehensively. The results revealed a clear logarithmic relationship between the sound pressure level of tire-road noise and vehicle speed, with AC-10 pavements exhibiting the lowest sound pressure levels. Loudness increases linearly with speed, and both the loudness and its rate of increase for AC-10 pavements are significantly lower than for other pavements. The tire-road noise sharpness of SMA-13 pavements is higher than that of AC pavements, but vehicle speed has no significant effect on sharpness. Additionally, tire-road noise roughness and fluctuation strength exhibited a fluctuating downward trend with increasing vehicle speed, with SMA-13 pavements exhibiting the lowest values.