The CON4MIN project is part of a competitiveness growth strategy based on the promotion of digitalization in the construction sector. In recent years and in a generalized way, the aim is to minimize noise levels in urban areas and for this purpose numerous interventions are being carried out in these areas. The reduction of noise levels has a direct impact on the quality of life of the neighbors. According to the WHO, this can lead to problems in concentrating, communicating or enjoying outdoor activities. In some cases noise can have a negative impact on people’s health and can increase stress levels or cause sleep disturbances. Reducing noise levels can help create a more peaceful and livable environment, which can have a positive impact on the mental and emotional well-being of city residents. The main problem lies in the fact that traditional solutions in urban environments, usually acoustic screens, are very tall and usually opaque, due to the need for absorption capacity. This problem has led to a great rejection of these measures among the population. In recent years, a new noise attenuating system has appeared, called mini-barriers, which have no visual impact due to their height, but which need to be located in an environment very close to the road, where their installation is complex, mainly due to the unevenness of the terrain and the number of existing road elements.
The CON4MIN project is looking for a solution to design railroad sections incorporating effective mini noise barriers. Once completed, the project will develop a semi-automated design system that will allow the optimal design of the mini-barrier to be installed on a given section of track and will consist of several modules, targeting different beneficiaries within the construction process. Through the application of technologies such as point clouds, BIM and data analytics to the design process of mini noise barrier sections on railway tracks, we expect to achieve the following goals:
- Creation of an optimized project design tool for the installation of mini acoustic barriers.
- Creation of mini-barrier product families that allow the complete configuration of a project of these characteristics.
- Creation of a 3D visualizer of the track environment to demonstrate the visual and acoustic effect of the proposed solution.
- To have a decision making assistant for the best project that incorporates the necessary KPIs for its evaluation (noise, exposure, costs, …).
- Validate the solution in 3 pilots located in different environments.
