Abstract
In order to reduce the noise of paving slab cutting machines, several types of edge-improved noise barriers are investigated through numerical simulation. The acoustic field around the noise barriers is computed using the finite element method with Element-by-Element conjugate gradient algorithm. The noise barrier with the improved Y-shaped edge is proposed and its sound shielding efficiency is found to be equivalent to the noise barrier with the active soft edge. It is also found that the sound shielding efficiency of a noise barrier changes drastically according to the distance between the noise barrier and the sound source.
