Traffic Information
the signal. The signal then goes
Measurement and Evaluation of
A highway traffic engineer determines
through processing to become data
Pavement-Related Noise is taking the
the traffic control at intersections such
that counts vehicles on a particular
lead in E17 on standards for this area.
as the timing of traffic signals for safe
road or records their speed, which
A draft practice, WK26025 Practice for
and efficient movement of vehicles,
lane they occupy and what turns they
Measurement of Tire/Pavement Noise
and traffic studies are conducted for
make.
Using the On-Board Sound Intensity
this purpose as well as for the design,
(OBSI) Method, will address the
planning and analysis of the highway
A new standard now under develop-
measurement of tire/pavement noise
system. E17's Subcommittee E17.52
ment, WK25280, Practice for Highway
using the on-board sound intensity
on Traffic Monitoring develops stan-
Traffic Monitoring Truth-in-Data, takes
method, which uses a set of sophisti-
dards to aid the collection of high qual-
the process another step to help
cated tire-mounted microphones and
ity traffic information. For example, traf-
manage field data collection through
a logarithm scale to mimic human hear-
fic engineers can now use ASTM
evaluation, acceptance, summariza-
ing.
E2667, Practice for Acquiring
tion and reporting to ensure consis-
Intersection Turning Movement Traffic
tency and transparency.
A Final Word
Data, to conduct traffic studies.
The diverse professional interests in
Another E17 subcommittee, E17.54
Committee E17, which coordinates
The ultimate purpose is safety and the
on Archived Data User Service,
with other ASTM International groups
efficient flow of vehicles. "A key use of
considers how to save and retrieve traf-
such as Committees C01 on Cement,
traffic data is to measure the exposure
fic data from intelligent transportation
C09 on Concrete and Concrete
or potential for traffic crashes.
systems. The subcommittee provides
Aggregates, D04 on Road and Paving
Accident analysis takes into consider-
guidance with three standards:
Materials, and F09 on Tires, produce
ation the traffic volume at a location,
E2259, Guide for Archiving and
standards that are the foundation of
and crash rates measure the number
Retrieving ITS-Generated Data;
methods used by government agen-
of crashes per vehicle distance trav-
E2468, Practice for Metadata to
cies, airports, the military, aircraft
eled," says Ralph Gillmann, who leads
Support Archived Data Management
manufacturers, vehicle manufactur-
the Highway System Performance
Systems; and most recently, E2665,
ers, equipment manufacturers and
Team, Office of Highway Policy
Specification for Archiving ITS-
consulting engineers. Holt says, "I
Information, U.S. Federal Highway
Generated Traffic Monitoring Data.
have the unique opportunity to see a
Administration, Washington, D.C. He
lot of the standards that we write in
adds that using such data can be used
Highway Noise
E17 in use around the world. ASTM
to improve transportation manage-
The issue of highway vehicle
standards are well respected because
ment and operations.
tire/pavement noise is now under
there's a bunch of great users working
consideration in Committee E17, note
hard to produce a quality standard."
Highway officials can use ASTM
Yager and McGhee, as it is becoming
E2300, Specification for Highway
a higher priority in a number of U.S.
All those interested in participating in
Traffic Monitoring Devices, to help
communities, where more sound
the work of Committee E17 are
choose equipment for their highway
barriers have been constructed along
welcome. For more information, go to
data collection needs. The standard
roads to deflect noise from residential
www.astm.org/COMMIT/E17, or
provides performance requirements
areas. McGhee notes that above 35
contact Rick Lake, E17 staff manager,
to help ensure that such sensors will
mph (56 km/h), the predominant noise
ASTM International (phone: 610-832-
do the job. This equipment uses a
source is the tire-pavement interac-
9689; rlake@astm.org).
sensing element that converts, for
tion. Groups are studying tire tread
example, a pulse on a pneumatic tube
design and possible pavement mix
in the pavement into an electrical
changes to minimize noise levels, and
signal and uses electronics to amplify
S u b c o m m i t t e e
E 1 7 . 4 3
o n
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Issue 70 September 2013 2013 70

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