The European standards for noise barriers for roads and railways: state of the art 2015
Invited paper
A-Tech / Acoustic Technologies
Monday 1 june, 2015, 11:40 - 12:00
0.2 Berlin (90)
Abstract:
This paper highlights the 2015 state of the two parallel packages of European
standards on noise barriers and related devices acting on airborne sound
propagation: one for roads, the other for railways. The first package has been
developed by CEN/TC226/WG6. As in the road sector noise barriers are under the
CPR 305/2011, the package includes a harmonized standard (EN 14388) and a set
of supporting standards for testing or calculating the relevant
characteristics: sound absorption, sound insulation, effectiveness of added
devices on the top edge, mechanical and safety characteristics etc. Recently,
a new specific standard about fire reaction has been added; moreover, a brand
new standard on the sustainability of noise reducing devices is being drafted.
The second package is being developed by CEN/TC256/SC1/WG40. In the railway
sector, noise barriers are considered outside CPR 305/2011 but conforming to
the Technical specifications for Interoperability (TSI). While the main
characteristic of noise reducing devices remains the same, WG40 adapted to
railways and improved the existing standards for roads. Moreover, some
specific standards have been drafted and are on the way to publication: one
presenting a calculation method for the mechanical performance under dynamic
loadings caused by passing trains and the other on the resistance to fatigue
due to the same loadings. Some standards on the evaluation of long-term
performance of noise reducing devices are also present.