In-situ test of acoustic barriers properties for noise protection for Ruconbar

Short desciption of the project:

The project goal is to carry out highly specialized tests of the in-situ acoustic properties of the innovative RUCONBAR noise protection barrier product. Although laboratory tests of barriers give very good indicators of acoustic properties (sound absorption and insulation), only by applying in-situ tests at the location of installed barriers that it is possible to determine the effectiveness of noise protection, the functioning of the entire barrier system (together with all the constituent elements - panels, seals, plates, columns). On the basis of the conducted tests, further optimization of the product and its constituent elements is possible, as well as better positioning of the product on the highly competitive market of barriers for noise protection.

Barriers for noise protection RUCONBAR is a product of the company Beton Lučko, which represents a new, eco-innovative solution of concrete barriers for noise protection. The innovative composition and process of obtaining an absorbent layer made of recycled waste rubber was developed in cooperation with the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Zagreb as RUCONBAR - Rubberized Concrete Noise Barriers project as part of the Eco-innovation program of the European Agency EACI. This type of barrier is based on the idea of using recycled materials in a new product, which brings benefits in three areas: (1) noise protection, (2) waste management and (3) reduced use of natural resources.

The main ecological benefits of RUCONBAR are:

• reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 31% compared to similar solutions on the market;
• reducing the use of non-renewable resources and protecting the natural landscape;
• recycling of waste car tires;
• efficient long-term protection against environmental noise where barriers are applied.

As part of the mentioned project, the product was optimized, the production process was established in the Beton-Lučko, and the necessary tests were carried out for the certification of the product that carries the CE certificate for use on road and rail.

The RUCONBAR product has been awarded a number of awards for innovation from the professional and scientific public, of which the following stand out:

• Crystal Globe - annual award "RF Global Road Achievement Award 2018" in the research category, Las Vegas, USA, 2018.
• RailTech Innovation Award in the "Infrastructure" category at the RailTech Europe 2019 trade fair and conference, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2019.

The project was co-financed by the European Union from the European Fund for Regional Development

User name: Beton Lučko d.o.o.

Name of partner: University of Zagreb - Faculty of Civil Engineering

Project implementation period: October 15, 2021 - January 13, 2022

Total value of the project: 105.000,00 HRK

Amount co-financed by the EU: 73.500,00 HRK

Contact person: Danica Jelenić, director, jelenic@betonlucko.hr