Noise Reduction on Concrete Paving Blocks

Today the people in the cities require, more than in former times, a nice looking but also noice reduced pavement. The aim of our one year trial in 1 9w92h,i ch was promoted by the Austrian innovation fund, was to fulfill the requirements mentioned above. 1200 m of new concrete paving blocks with 12 different propertioo wcro layed. Some of them were produced especially for this test. After testing the twelve pavement types, by using two different measurement procedures, we found two types with the same noice level as noise reduced asphalt concrete pavements. One type is -due to its interlocking function- adequate for heavy duty areas, while the other one is -due to its multiple design possibilities- adequate for decorative purposes. The important noise reduction offered by these two block types is an additional advantage besides the other already wellknown advantages as design and format possiblities and the reusability after repairing pipes or cables under the road surface.