Monitoring Level of Service Near Urban Highway Segments by Noise Level Evaluation

Abstract

When possible, existing highway levels of service should be monitored by field measurements. As is the case with all fieldwork, traffic measurements are relatively expensive; they take time, personnel and equipment This research look after the feasibility of developing an acoustic sensing model to monitor the traffic flow at the highway sections instead of continuous counting of volume or other method of traffic monitor and surveillance devices. Vehicle tires radiate the major source of road noise. These phenomena can be used by cross-correlating the acoustic responses from roadside microphones with highway measure of effectiveness. The results demonstrated the feasibility of detecting LOS in the acoustic manner. The statistical regression technique gives power correlation model between the noise level as Noise Equivalent level or Noise Pollution Level and the density on the road sections. Other linear correlation models can be seen between these noise levels and the Level of Service of the highway but with less significant. This noise measurement receiver continually measures noise levels and can give around-the-clock picture of LOS variations at highway section This model allows the designer/planner to obtain quickly the first approximation of the expected LOS.