Prediction of noise changes due to traffic speed control.

The effects of vehicle speed variation on road traffic noise are analyzed. The steady speed motion is replaced by deceleration, cruise, and acceleration. Because of a relatively loud acceleration noise, such a speed variation results not only in the noise decrease zones, but in the noise increase zones as well. The location of these zones depends slightly upon the ground covering (grass, concrete, etc.). Conversely, their boundaries change dramatically with the parameters describing noise emission during deceleration, cruise, and acceleration. For example, the Japanese and Polish models of noise emission have been applied. The critical length L(*) of the cruise segment of the road is introduced: for L>L(*) the sound energy decline (due to speed reduction) compensates the sound energy growth (due to acceleration). The results obtained could be useful for road administrators.