Reducing motorway noise with Jacksons’ acoustic fencing Background

Timber acoustic barriers are ideal for many applications as their natural appearance blends well into most environments, their solid construction provides security and privacy, and they reduce noise by up to 32dB.

Due to the increasing demand for housing in the UK, residential developments are being brought closer to industrial sites, commercial properties, and transport infrastructure, including major motorways and highways.

Planning and specification of fencing solutions for housing developments is an important process that should not be overlooked, but unfortunately, we often see contractors breaking specification at the construction phase, and this is usually down to cost. When it comes to reducing noise or installing a large barrier near infrastructure, cutting corners will rarely lead to an appropriate solution and the wrong solution could also be a risk to life.

Timber noise barriers have similar visual characteristics to garden fencing, but there are a few key features that must not be compromised, and acoustic barriers are manufactured in very specific ways to fulfil their intended purpose. Mass, height, construction, distance from noise source, and distance from receiver are all factors which need to be determined to achieve the best outcome.

If noise reduction is a requirement of a new housing development, an acoustic consultant should be involved at the specification stage to ensure the most appropriate solution is specified. Architects and specifiers should specify acoustic barriers, stipulating the features mentioned above, to increase the likelihood of successful planning applications.

Solution

Due to Jacksons’ previous experience providing acoustic solutions in the UK, their capability to construct an exceptionally tall acoustic barrier for one of the UK’s largest housebuilders at a new housing development near a major A road, was sought after.

The specification of the acoustic barrier involved the design and construction of giant bespoke steel I beams to be installed in the ground with unique foundations, guaranteeing correct and safe wind loading of the barrier. As part of the post installation, we developed a unique foundation design to secure the posts in position. The posts were then craned into position and scaffolding was used to support the posts during fixing.

Due to the large surface area of the fence and the location, anti-graffiti coating was added to the lower boards to lower the chance of the barrier being defaced.

The barrier was supplied with a 25 year guarantee which provides reassurance to homebuyers that the fence will not fall into disrepair and create a hazard or eyesore, protecting them from noise and providing safety and privacy around the development for years to come.