Noise Abatement of Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt: A Brief Review.

Rubberized hot mix asphalt (RHMA) is widely used in pavement projects. Substitution of natural aggregates with recycled rubber has been considered a key advantage of this material. Further, the material characteristics of the rubber are expected to improve the performance of pavement. Noise abatement, as a performance measure in most pavement projects, is reviewed in this paper. The presented review discussed literatures on the effect of RHMA on noise abatement in comparison with conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA). Moreover, the field performance of selected pavement projects is presented. Results indicate that the inclusion of recycled rubber has positive impacts on the environment as well as the pavement properties. However, the noise abatement is not a long lasting effect of RHMA. Further, the frequency content of the noise on RHMA surface is as important as the intensity of the noise. Thus, application of RHMA may not fully replace other means of noise management in roadway projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]