[{"command":"add_css","data":[{"rel":"stylesheet","media":"all","href":"\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_-kTcRwkqPhQLsqEvdSSyU2XZ3CV5VEleXoE3_xZi2cg.css?delta=0\u0026language=mt\u0026theme=hm_theme\u0026include=eJxLzi9K1U8pKi1IzNErSa0oSSxKTdQtSi3OrEoFAJQ3Cqw"}]},{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/mt\/article\/modal\/9944\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n        \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n  \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea resize-vertical ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EReducing noise pollution with acoustic walls and rubberised roads\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIn cities across the European Union, noise is a significant health hazard along with air pollution. Efforts are under way to reduce a major source of both: traffic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENoise is the number-two environmental source of health troubles, after air pollution, according to the United Nations World Health Organization.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the European Union, 22 million people suffer chronically high annoyance from environmental noise. And 12 000 premature deaths occur every year in the EU as a result of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/environment.ec.europa.eu\/topics\/noise_en\u0022\u003Elong-term exposure to environmental noise\u003C\/a\u003E, of which traffic is among the main sources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut, as with climate change, the EU fight against noise pollution involves not just mitigation but also adaptation. While traffic can be scaled back through improved urban design, motor-powered transport will continue to emit noise and a key challenge is finding ways to limit the impact on people.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s where Bart Willems has a role to play. He is enthusiastic about a type of wall that he says can unite people more than divide them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWillems was involved in a research project to reduce irksome noise from roads and railways by using barriers that bend sound waves and direct them away from homes. The phenomenon is known as diffraction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENerve-racking\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe goal was to tackle a serious yet under-appreciated environmental problem by thinking about it differently. The two conventional methods are, building concrete walls to block noise and using materials for roads and railways that absorb it better.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Diffraction offers a third solution,\u2019 said Willems, whose Dutch company 4Silence BV coordinated the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/859337\u0022\u003EHorizon-funded WHISSPER project\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENetherlands-based \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.4silence.com\/\u0022\u003E4Silence\u003C\/a\u003E has developed walls that have grooves of varying depths, which reduce horizontal noise by bending it upwards in the vertical direction. This means smaller barriers can be used to deflect more noise away from surrounding people.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018If one of our walls is one metre high, it will reduce noise by seven to nine decibels,\u2019 Willems said. \u2018A regular screen would need to measure three metres to accomplish the same effect.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022text-center text-blue font-bold text-2xl w-full lg:w-1\/2 border-2 border-blue p-12 my-8 lg:m-12 lg:-ml-16 float-left\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022text-5xl rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp class=\u0022font-serif italic\u0022\u003EIn the coming three years, people in Europe should start regularly seeing our barriers.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n  \u003Cfooter\u003E\n    \u003Ccite class=\u0022not-italic font-normal text-sm text-black\u0022\u003EBart Willems, WHISSPER\u003C\/cite\u003E\n  \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe WHISSPER project tested the technology with the idea of fighting traffic noise through diffraction beginning\u0026nbsp;in 2019 and ending earlier this year. With its sound-redirecting walls having undergone trials in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Denmark, the company says the barriers are easy to install and maintain. It is now seeking to go to market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We have since started our first commercial projects in the Netherlands,\u2019 Willems said. \u2018And we\u0027re looking to further commercialise our walls in different countries.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor these initiatives, 4Silence generally works with local governments such as the municipality of Eindhoven or the province of Utrecht. In Germany and the UK, commercial projects have also been started for the Augsburg State Building Authority and Transport for London.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the coming months, new buyers across Europe are set to be announced, with 4Silence also eyeing customers in countries including Belgium and Denmark.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBudget relief\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENoise diffracting barriers also benefit government budgets because they are half as expensive as traditional noise-reduction measures.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022WHIS\u00aewall Deutsche Bahn Project. \u00a9 4Silence, 2022\u0022 data-entity-type=\u0022file\u0022 data-entity-uuid=\u0022980d1a91-f98e-4669-a84f-f1dbe7e06c28\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/IMCEUpload\/BODY%2001%20afb.jpeg\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022italic mb-4\u0022\u003EWHIS\u00aewall Deutsche Bahn Project. \u00a9 4Silence, 2022\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPublic purses for infrastructure are already stretched. Spending in Europe to counter road and rail noise amounts to about \u20ac5.4 billion per year, or 6% of total annual expenditure on both forms of transport.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYet people\u2019s exposure to traffic noise in the EU is increasing. More than one in four Europeans faces levels dangerous to health in homes, schools and workplaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, on the mitigation front, improvements are being sought in the traditional methods for tackling traffic noise.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA separate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/760564\u0022\u003EHorizon-funded project called SILENT RUBBER PAVE\u003C\/a\u003E is making asphalt spongier and hopefully quieter in an ecologically friendly way. The project involved a Spain-based company called Cirtec.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGood vibrations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECirtec is poised to sell a new asphalt additive called RARx, which is made with rubber from end-of-life tyres. RARx is added to asphalt as a way of absorbing some road-traffic noise.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022text-center text-blue font-bold text-2xl w-full lg:w-1\/2 border-2 border-blue p-12 my-8 lg:m-12 lg:-ml-16 float-left\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022text-5xl rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp class=\u0022font-serif italic\u0022\u003EThe future looks bright - we\u0026#039;re saving public administrations money and reducing noise for citizens.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n  \u003Cfooter\u003E\n    \u003Ccite class=\u0022not-italic font-normal text-sm text-black\u0022\u003EGuillermo Rodr\u00edguez Marfil, SILENT RUBBER PAVE\u003C\/cite\u003E\n  \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile putting rubber powder in asphalt (also known as bitumen) has been tried before, practical challenges arose.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Before contractors added the rubber mix directly into the bitumen, which caused a lot of problems,\u2019 said Guillermo Rodr\u00edguez Marfil of Cirtec. \u2018It caused problems with the mix - and cleaning up the equipment afterwards was hard.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith RARx, the rubber powder is blended with mineral additives like bitumen in the factory, making it easier for asphalt producers to use. Car noise is reduced by 4-5 decibels, according to Rodr\u00edguez Marfil. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The mix reduces the stiffness of the asphalt, which causes a lower vibration in the tyre, and in turn less noise,\u2019 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt can also extend the life cycle of current roads, leading to lower maintenance costs. Furthermore, the entire concept is circular given that the rubber mix is made from used tyres.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERARx is being rolled out in countries including Spain. Tests and construction projects were also conducted in Germany, Italy, Portugal and Ireland, partly under the SILENT RUBBER PAVE umbrella.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProduced in Spain, RARx will also be manufactured in\u0026nbsp;a second factory under construction in Mexico - Cirtec\u2019s biggest market, according to Rodr\u00edguez Marfil.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The future looks bright,\u2019 he said. \u2018We are working on several continents and our impact is growing. We\u0027re saving public administrations money and reducing noise for citizens.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERegulatory roadblocks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond finding markets for their new noise-reduction tools, both Cirtec and 4Silence are counting on regulatory changes to facilitate business growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause roads are often constructed by governments and their subcontractors, the activity is highly regulated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018In the paving industry, they have been doing the same thing for ages, which can be difficult to overcome,\u2019 Rodr\u00edguez Marfil said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWillems of 4Silence echoed the point.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Infrastructure doesn\u0027t move quickly, especially when laws have to change before we can introduce our technology,\u2019 he said. \u2018Nevertheless, we\u0027re optimistic that, in the coming three years, people in Europe should start regularly seeing our barriers.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n            \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n      Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-gxtsdr1npwgwkojlieklxinnjosacojydounchrwdvs\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-GxTSdR1nPwgwKojLieklXinnJOSacOjYDOUnChrwdvs\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]