Industrial and manufacturing companies tend to make a lot of noise. This can be not only annoying, but it can also be harmful to the well-being of the employees and those who are near the noise. The noise can also be out of OSHA sound regulations. The unwanted noise can also cause stress to those that live or work in the immediate and surrounding areas. A reduction in the unwanted noises can lower high blood pressure, reduce hearing impairments, and reduce stress. The solution to these issues is to install noise barrier panels in the areas with the unwanted noise. These types of walls are also known as a sound berm, noise wall, sound wall, or sound barrier.
The noise wall can be made of many different materials that have several beneficial implications. The United States government has recognized the detrimental effects that noise pollution has on the human body. For this reason, the government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the installation of sound walls so that there could be a reduction in the noise pollution and provide relief to those that live or work around it. The sound berms have been able to provide great benefit to the general population. Some of the different types of sound barriers are:
- Concrete Sound Barriers
- Brick and Masonry Block Noise Walls
- Plastic Sound Walls
The concrete sound barriers are some of the most common and widely used types of noise barriers. Almost half of the sound walls in the Nation are made of concrete. The concrete noise walls are one of the most durable materials, and these types of walls are generally used for highways. The concrete sound barriers are able to withstand severe temperatures, moisture, salt, and ice. The concrete material is also versatile and can be molded and shaped to take the appearance of wooden boards and rock face.
The brick and masonry sound barriers are manufactured by using a sand and clay mix. These types of sound walls can be hand-laid or pre-assembled by machine. The hand laid masonry noise walls have more versatility and can conform to the different types of contours on the ground that are usually found on roadways. The advantage of the pre-assembled masonry block sound walls is the speed in which it can be placed as long as the environment of the site allows ease of maneuvering for the necessary cranes and transport vehicles.
The plastic sound walls can used for almost any kind of situation. These kinds of noise barriers are usually used for structure mounted applications because of their light weight characteristics. The plastic sound walls have the added benefit of being versatile in being moldable. These types of noise barriers are light weight and can be more easily handled. Many of the sound barrier plastic products are made from recycled materials. An important thing to take into consideration when using plastic-made noise walls is that the plastic noise walls are more flammable that the barriers that are made from other materials.
