Multi-functional noise reducing pavements made of UHPC - Materials : Design and Construction Technology

The constantly rising traffic volume is leading to high mechanical stress of the pavements. As a result, the requirements of maintenance, refurbishment and renewal are increasing. In contrast to this, financial resources are decreasing constantly. Moreover, the increasing traffic noise emissions are experienced as growing stress. New, highly sustainable and at once silent multifunctional concrete pavements made of ultra-high performance concrete are a solution for this set of problems. UHPC reinforced with steel bars and/or fibers, allows considerably thinner layers. It is practically impenetrable by chlorides and alkali which means that the steel reinforcement will not corrode and there will not be any alkali-silica reaction. Onto the load-bearing concrete a thin layer of a special, also ultra-high performance mortar can be applied wet-on-wet. A special texture will be imprinted into the fresh mortar which enables a noise reduction of 5 dB(A). Due to its high surface strength this texture will remain intact continuously during the useful life of the concrete road. In the paper we will report about the results of two extensive research projects that are nearly completed, in which new construction methods have been developed, one for the installation with common road pavers, the other as a construction method with precast parts for the quick road repair or construction. Industrial enterprises and Joint Research Centers are involved in both projects. A first trial section has successfully been constructed.