For long time, people complain about rolling noise. Since this time, the road pavement designers try to take into account the traffic noise level and mainly try to find solutions to decrease it. Knowing the complexity of noise is the first step that people have to know for finding the right solutions. Since the beginning of 80’, Colas has worked on this field to find sustainable solutions. This presentation deals with some reminders about the rolling noise in order to understand the issue complexity then the different tools used for measuring this property. For this latter, it is reminded that noise measurement is not easy and we have to pay attention to the different used methods which can introduce some discrepancies when you compare the results and hence some difficulties. The history of the different low noise pavement is then illustrated by beginning from the porous asphalt to the latest generation of asphalt concrete wearing course. One of the problems we have to solve is not only to decrease the noise but we have to maintain high level of skid resistance and some solutions are presented allowing gaining from 3 to 9 dB (A) in specific conditions by comparison with traditional wearing courses by keeping high level of skid resistance. Finally, it is concluded that from the point of view of road contractors, it is not possible to decrease more the rolling noise and that new solutions have to be found by the car or tyre manufacturers.

rolling noise;noise;pavement