Measurement and analysis of bridge expansion joint noise

Abstract

The structure-borne noise while the vehicle passing across the bridge expansion joint is the main source of urban bridge noise. In order to control this noise pollution, 20 bridges including three types of typical expansion joints in Ningbo City were selected, and the noises were measured while vehicle passed across the bridge expansion joints. The measured results are expressed by the Z-weighted sound pressure level, which kept the effect of the low-frequency noise. Then the influence factors of this noise are discussed. The results show that: (1) The sound pressure while vehicle on the bridge expansion joints is much greater than that on the normal road or mid-span of the bridges, which results in significant environmental noise pollution; (2) The wider the gap of the bridge expansion joints, the greater the noise level; (3) The noises produced by the modular expansion joints and comb-plate expansion joints are greater than that from the single-gap expansion joints.

Impact of expansion joints on noise pollution, case study in Cluj-Napoca

“…The report states that the noise generated by the expansion joint can be emanating from the cavity below or from the top of the joint. Another study was published this year and it investigates the noise produced by the vehicle passing across bridge expansion joints in the city of Ningbo [3]. This study investigates the noise of three different types of expansion joints: single-gap expansion joints, modular expansion joints and comb-plate expansion joints.…”