Low Noise Concrete Pavements in Germany

Noise protection has been a main concern in Germany for a long time. The contribution of the road surface to the reduction of traffic noise is recorded with correction values and taken into consideration in noise protection calculations which are legally significant in the planning and construction of roads. These correction values were last updated in 1991. Further techniques for concrete roadway pavements are being developed as the acoustic properties are often the decisive factor when selecting a road construction method. Current research concerns modified concrete compositions and longitudinal smoothing techniques as well as improved texturing but, above all, the optimal combinations of these parameters.