Repeatability of SOPRANOISE Quick Method for Measuring Sound Reflection and Sound Insulation of Noise Barriers

The measurement method employed for the estimation of the intrinsic acoustic characteristics of noise barriers installed along European highways is outlined in the EN 1793-5 and 1793-6 standards, commonly named the "Adrienne method". This method has been shown to have repeatability and reproducibility comparable to or better than laboratory methods. However, its correct application requires skilled operators managing with great care the equipment on site, thus limiting the number of measurements made in a working day on different positions of the noise barrier under test. To overcome this limitation and perform fast measurements in the field, the Quick Method, a simplified version of the Adrienne measurement method, was developed in the context of the European SOPRANOISE project. The Quick Method needs only lightweight and easy-to-use equipment, called the Quick System; this allows extensive measurement campaigns to be carried out at many points of the noise barrier under test. However, the repeatability of the Quick Method has not yet been assessed. This article reports and analyses a series of repeatability tests of the Quick Method conducted in the laboratory and on site; moreover, comparisons with the Adrienne method are systematically presented. These results can be considered the first validation of the Quick Method and its measuring equipment.