Sound-Reducing Pavement Solutions For Combating Urban Noise Pollution

Abstract

Urban noise pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges in modern cities, with direct implications for public health, productivity, and overall quality of life. Conventional mitigation strategies, such as roadside noise barriers, provide limited effectiveness and often disrupt urban aesthetics. In this context, sound-reducing pavement technologies have gained significant attention as an integrated and sustainable solution. These pavements developed through material innovations, surface texture optimization, and porosity engineering address noise at its source by minimizing tire pavement interaction, which is a dominant contributor to traffic noise. This paper critically examines the role of advanced pavement solutions, including porous asphalt, rubberized asphalt incorporating recycled tires, and composite multilayer surfaces, in reducing urban noise. Using a hybrid methodology of acoustic field measurements, laboratory testing, and simulation modelling, the study assesses not only the decibel reduction potential of different pavement types but also their durability, maintenance costs, and environmental trade-offs. Results indicate that porous asphalt and rubberized asphalt can achieve an average reduction of 3–7 dB compared to conventional pavements, while also offering sustainability benefits by utilizing recycled materials. However, challenges such as clogging, reduced lifespan, and higher initial investment require careful consideration. The findings emphasize that sound-reducing pavements, when integrated into broader urban noise management policies, present a scalable and eco-efficient pathway to combating noise pollution and improving urban liability.