QUIESST

QUIetening the Environment for a Sustainable Surface Transport

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Noise Reducing Devices (barriers, claddings, covers and added devices following EN14388) play an important role in noise reduction: optimizing their global performance is of major concern towards Sustainable Surface Transport. QUIESST will merge, for the very first time and within a true holistic approach, “true” intrinsic products characteristics, whatever their materials and shapes, together with their extrinsic ones, in order to assess their actual global capacities to reduce the amount of people exposed to noise (END target). It will address 5 main topics: NEAR / FAR FIELD RELATIONSHIP: linking the intrinsic characteristics to the corresponding extrinsic far field effect; IN-SITU MEASUREMENT METHODS: developing methods relevant of the actual intended use, allowing long term performances control; COMPARING NRD’s PERFORMANCES with different test methods: building a database comparing both existing and new tests results and providing the relevant relationship; OPTIMIZING NRD’s GLOBAL PERFORMANCE through a HOLISTIC APPROACH: considering acoustic, non acoustic and global impact optimization, multicriteria optimization strategies, and possible global performance indicators; SUSTAINABILITY: defining the relevant generic criteria and developing the first existing NRD’s overall sustainability assessment method. The final verifiable result will be the ACTUAL USE of the “Guidebook to NRD optimisation” as a reference tool for noise mitigation. QUIESST addresses the call as it concerns surface transport noise abatement (road AND rail), considers cost benefit analysis and addresses the END objectives, covers true holistic noise abatement solutions through wave propagation and systems for passive compensation. Its team, made of 14 partners from 9 countries integrates the relevant stakeholders: Infrastructures, Industry, Universities, Research Institutes and SME. It addresses important environmental and economic concerns and will contribute to promote EU NRD’s industry.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

The European Commission has set ambitious goals to minimise the number of people exposed to noise from surface transport. A new guidebook regarding the performance optimisation of devices such as noise barriers will make reaching these goals an easier task.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

One of the targets of the European Commission's Environmental Noise Directive (END) is to reduce the overall number of people exposed to transport noise. Noise-reducing devices (NRDs) such as barriers, claddings and covers designed to minimise sound propagation are an important pillar of EU noise reduction research.

Depending on a number of factors, the performance of NRDs can vary drastically. Optimising their effectiveness is an important part of any sustainable surface transport policy. Numerous studies have addressed product optimisation or in situ performance optimisation but few have addressed both simultaneously. For the first time, EU-funded scientists working on the project 'Quietening the environment for a sustainable surface transport' (QUIESST) studied both intrinsic and extrinsic product characteristics. Their aim was to enhance the capacity of NRDs and reduce the number of people exposed to noise from both road and rail transport.

Researchers investigated the link between the intrinsic properties of an NRD and their effect on noise propagation at a distance (near/far field relationship). They employed a variety of in situ measurement techniques to assess sound absorption/reflection and airborne sound insulation for long-term performance control. Investigators developed the first comprehensive EU database containing existing and new test results on NRDs together with associated optimisation models. After characterising the issues, scientists optimised NRD global performance by considering multiple performance criteria, including non-acoustic and acoustic characteristics.

The study would not be complete without the first overall sustainability assessment regarding NRDs for a truly holistic approach to surface transport noise reduction. Project outcomes are showcased in a comprehensive reference guidebook about NRD holistic optimisation that includes reference to associated databases, simulation techniques, measurement methodologies and recommendations.

QUIESST successfully addressed the issue of sound propagation and optimised NRDs to minimise the number of people exposed to noise from road and rail transport. The guidebook detailing measurement and modelling techniques, optimisation methods and recommendations promises to have major impact on the quality of life of EU citizens.