EN 16727 Railway Applications - Track - Noise Barriers and Related Devices Affecting the Propagation of Airborne Sound - Non-Acoustic Performance

The European standard “EN 16727 Railway applications - Track - Noise barriers and related devices affecting the propagation of airborne sound - Non-acoustic performance” consists of the following subsections published under the same title:

• The standard "EN 16727-1 Part 1: Mechanical performance under static loads - Calculation and test method" applies only to noise barriers consisting of posts as structural elements and panels as acoustic elements (e.g. manufactured from metal, wood, plastic, or concrete panels). It also applies to acoustic cladding of existing walls and partial or complete acoustic cladding of railway tracks.

It is important that acoustic elements are tested in conjunction with structural elements to ensure the noise barrier is representative of its intended use. This standard provides criteria for validating railway noise barriers and related devices based on basic mechanical performance under standard exposure conditions, regardless of the materials used.

This standard includes a number of conditions and optional requirements to allow for a wide variety of applications in Europe. Individual aspects of performance are addressed separately in annexes. This standard provides test methods and criteria for evaluating railway noise barriers for their mechanical performance and stability under static loading.

Noise barriers and related devices affecting airborne sound propagation are subject to permanent, variable, or accidental impacts, as specified in standard EN 1990. This standard allows for the assessment of the effects of forces resulting from self-weight, air pressure loads, and impact loads that may act on the noise barrier and its components. It is essential that the structural behavior of the noise barrier be evaluated under combinations of permanent, variable, and accidental impacts to prevent excessive stressing of the material, separation of elements from structural pillars, and excessive deflection that could affect their acoustic effectiveness and durability.

The different materials used in a noise barrier design must be chemically compatible and not adversely affect each other's properties. Minor damage, particularly from ballast stones or other debris from passing trains, can be tolerated, but safety, environmental, and functional requirements must be taken into account.

Fragmentation properties are addressed in the EN 16727-3 standard. Where design information is lacking or there is doubt about the parameters required for testing or calculation to validate a design, additional investigations and geotechnical studies are required to obtain the values ​​necessary to ensure the safety and usability of the entire noise barrier. In some countries, the dynamic force of snow ejected by equipment used to clear tracks in winter must be taken into account.

• EN 16727-2-1 Part 2-1: Mechanical performance under dynamic loading caused by passing trains - Fatigue resistance" describes the basic requirements for verifying the ultimate and serviceable limit states and fatigue resistance of noise barriers or their components through analytical methods and testing. Analytical methods can be used to determine characteristic and design values. In cases where sufficient information is not available, the analytical procedure can be combined with test results.

This standard provides the following types of test procedures:

• Testing on small samples to identify detailed categories that may not be covered by the Eurocodes (validation procedure A).
• Test on a generic element to define the fatigue limit state (verification procedure B).
• Full-scale tests under a specific representative loading to determine the fatigue resistance of noise barrier components for defined loading conditions (validation procedure C). This procedure is provided as an alternative to validation procedures A and B.

Passing trains create an air pressure wave that impacts noise barriers placed along the rails. It is essential that noise barriers withstand this impact without any component becoming unsafely dislodged or dislodged. They should be designed in accordance with the requirements specified in the ultimate, serviceable, and fatigue limit states. Where design rules or sufficient experience with components are not available, the design should be based on calculations and tests performed to provide information on the component's properties and fatigue resistance for design in the ultimate and serviceable limit states. This standard applies to noise barrier components or to noise barriers considered as a whole.

Where design can be carried out using analytical models, verification for foundations, pillars, and panels must be in accordance with the relevant Eurocodes or European assessment documents. Steel and aluminum members must be designed in accordance with the EN 1993 series of standards and the EN 1999 series of standards.

• EN 16727-2-2 Part 2-2: Mechanical performance under dynamic loading caused by passing trains - Calculation method" defines the loading on noise barriers due to the air pressure wave specified in EN 1991-2, the relevant load pattern locations, and the internal forces. The vertical and horizontal shapes of the air pressure wave and the dynamic effects are taken into account. The calculation method described in this standard was developed for noise barriers with pillar and panel construction on pile foundations. It can also be used when the covering material is attached to a rigid structure. For structures with pile foundations, an empirical formula for determining the natural frequency is included in the standard's appendix (Annex A). Annex B also includes an example of the application of the calculation method to determine the internal forces and moments acting on the central pillar. The design of noise barriers (e.g., fatigue resistance) is not part of this standard.

Passing trains create pressure changes in the form of air pressure waves that impact noise barriers placed at the edge of the tracks. Noise barriers must withstand this impact without any component breaking or dislodging, which could pose a safety hazard to passing trains or people. This standard provides a calculation method for assessing the capacity of post and panel noise barriers with pile foundations to resist this pressure change and makes allowance for the structure's dynamic response. The air pressure wave generated by a passing train is described in terms of two block loads in EN 1991-2. To calculate realistic static and dynamic effects on noise barriers, it is necessary to consider the shape of the air pressure wave and its dynamic effects.

• EN 16727-3 Part 3: General safety and environmental requirements" describes the minimum requirements and other criteria for assessing the overall safety and environmental performance of noise barriers and related devices affecting airborne sound propagation under typical trackside conditions. Requirements for more demanding conditions are assessed by the designer. Appropriate test methods are provided where necessary, but for some aspects, a declaration of material properties may be required to inform designers. The treatment of each aspect is discussed separately in the annexes to this standard (Annexes A to G).

Noise barriers and related devices installed along railway tracks that affect the propagation of airborne sound must not, while fulfilling their primary function, pose a hazard to railway users, other bystanders, or the environment in general. Noise barriers and related devices must not contribute to the spread of fire from adjacent sides or adjacent terrain. Furthermore, fire resistance meeting specific standards may be required to minimize the risk to adjacent buildings or to railway users in narrow corridors. Noise barriers and related devices must not reflect light toward train drivers in a manner that would endanger railway safety. They must be constructed of materials that do not emit harmful fumes or leachates, whether from natural or industrial processes or as a result of fire. Noise barriers must provide a means of escape for railway users and access for operators in the event of an emergency. Noise barriers and related devices that affect the propagation of airborne sound are generally not expected to withstand vehicle impact; however, designers can use information on the consequences of such impact loads to determine the requirements for the protection of railway users and passersby.

EN 16727 standards are considered important for the following reasons:

• Safety and structural integrity: Noise barriers must withstand significant static and dynamic pressures, including air pressure waves generated by passing trains. Without a standard design, these structures can fail unexpectedly, posing a risk to passengers, maintenance personnel, and nearby communities.
• Durability and fatigue resistance: Repeated loading cycles (from passing trains) can damage barrier components. Section 2-1 ensures that barriers remain effective over time without fatigue-related failures.
• Consistency across countries: As a European norm, it is mandatory for all CEN member states and ensures harmonised technical approaches and interoperability across the entire European railway network.
• Informed engineering practice: These standards provide calculation recipes, test procedures, and supplemental examples to guide designers and engineers across different situations and materials, reducing uncertainty and increasing reliability.

The practical advantages of these standards are as follows:

• Safe, durable and effective design of railway noise barriers in terms of mechanical performance.
• Preventing structural failures that could endanger train operations or nearby infrastructure.
• Harmonized engineering specifications across multiple countries simplify cross-border rail projects.
• Clear requirements for both design calculations and physical testing help manufacturers comply with regulatory frameworks.

As a result, EN 16727 standards ensure that noise reduction structures along railways are not only acoustically effective, but also mechanically robust and safe throughout their operational lifespan – a critical requirement for modern railway infrastructure design and regulatory compliance.

Our organization, which has been supporting businesses across all sectors for years through a wide range of testing, measurement, analysis, and evaluation activities, boasts a strong team of employees who closely follow global developments in science and technology and are constantly improving themselves. In this context, we also provide testing services in accordance with the standard "EN 16727 Railway applications - Track - Noise barriers and related devices affecting the propagation of airborne sound - Non-acoustic performance."