9 December 2021 | Gramm Barriers
The innovative WHIS®wall noise barrier system has been certified for use in the UK by Network Rail.
The WHIS®wall system uses the acoustic principle of diffraction, ‘bending’ sound created by rail vehicles upwards to reduce noise.
The solution comprises a 1m high reinforced concrete base unit equipped with a trackside absorber and Corten steel diffractor mounted on top. The system reduces vehicle noise by between seven and nine decibels, comparable to a 3m high noise barrier.
The noise-reducing WHIS®wall has been awarded a Certificate of Acceptance by Network Rail following successful field-testing in an operational UK railway environment.
The product acceptance process assures Network Rail that approved products are safe, compatible, reliable, fit for purpose and do not export unacceptable risks to infrastructure.
WHIS®wall has been developed and is manufactured by Netherlands-based acoustical specialists 4Silence and available in the UK from exclusive partner Gramm Barriers Systems.
Steve Barnes, Gramm Barriers Systems Business Development Manager, says: “We are delighted to have been selected as 4Silence’s UK partner to provide design, supply and installation services of this proven noise reduction technology to the UK rail sector.
“With both passenger and freight rail services continuing to increase, WHIS®wall has a number of benefits compared to 3m high noise reducing barriers.
“Installation is cheaper, quicker and easier. Simply requiring a flat and strong foundation means up to 300m of the system can be erected in just one day.
“Eliminating the need for concrete or piled footings is less disruptive for lineside residents and, being a third of the height, WHIS®wall also preserves views for residents and rail users. It is also more sustainable
and environmentally friendly.
“The system is extremely cost-effective, with a 50-year lifespan and only requiring annual maintenance means a 43 percent saving over its lifetime compared to 3m high alternatives.”
Based in Seaford, East Sussex, Gramm Barriers Systems is one of the UK’s leading installers of acoustic barriers and high security fencing systems and the only noise barrier specialist to have its materials and works backed and insured by the Government.