Is a Precast Concrete Wall The Best Option For Noise Reduction?

by: Craig Lewis

There is an increasing demand for reducing noise within internal areas such as restaurants, homes and office buildings. Believe it or not, the kinds of wall or fence material you use can have a huge impact on whether or not noise is deterred. One of the building type of materials that is subject to many differing perspectives is that of precast concrete.

There are many types ofreports that we will be previewing in our new concrete fence wall blog (http://www.artisanprecast.com/concretefencewallsblog/) that have shown that any kind of concrete wall simply echoes the noise and can potentially increase it. However, there has been research that has shown that precast concrete provides the highest sound transmission loss value when compared to other noise wall products. This research has shown that the noise reduction from these barriers requires a considerably smaller footprint compared with earth beams.

One feature of precast concrete is that it can be manufactured and inspected prior to installation, which can reduce yours or a contractor's construction timeline. You will find an extensive selection of textures and finishes with precast concrete and because it is produced in a controlled environment, it is constructed with a high quality and uniformity.

Another benefit of using precast concrete for noise reduction is its responsiveness to corrosive agents. It is designed to and formulated to provide an economical and durable finish. They can easily be adjusted to account for various levels of exposure to corrosive agents such as salt, that way they can react and hold up stronger.

The reason it is capable of adjusting so easily is because precast concrete barriers have a low water-to-cement ratio. By utilizing this low ratio, higher strengths and lower permeability are objetives that can be attained. With air voids within the concrete, there is more opportunity for freezing water to expand. In essence, this minimizes the potential for scaling and deterioration of the concrete.

When researching offline, you will find contradicting arguments over whether or not precast concrete is the optimal material to use for noise reduction. There have been considerable arguments for both cases, but it is hard to go against the research stated above. It is up to you to decide whether or not precast concrete is the best option for noise reduction, and doing further research can better bolster your decision.