Skip to main content

REBLOC barriers for Antwerp’s Oosterweel Link

Effective noise protection is an essential part of road infrastructure- both temporarily during construction and permanently along the finished road.
October 31, 2022 Read time: 2 mins
REBLOC’s noise and safety barrier system for Antwerp’s Oosterweel Link is 1.3km in length and includes 5,300m² of REBLOC NBL100X_400_5 barrier (image courtesy of REBLOC)

For one of the largest road infrastructure projects in Belgium, REBLOC, along with its local partner De Bonte Group, is providing free-standing concrete safety barriers with integrated noise barrier panels.

The solution is for the Oosterweel Link – Right Bank R1 – E19 project, around Antwerp. Rebloc was commissioned by TM ROCO, an association of Belgian construction companies and managed by LANTIS - set up by the Flemish government to ensure the smooth running of the Oosterweel Link project.

Oosterweel Link is a 15km motorway that will complete the city’s R1 ring road. Construction started in 2018 with all work on the ring road set for completion in 2030. The Antwerp ring road is a key part of the Trans-European Transport (TEN-T) Core Network, a European Union cross-border initiative to enhance major road and rail routes.

The barrier system from REBLOC is 1.3km in length and includes 5,300m² of REBLOC NBL100X_400_5 barrier, installed between the end of May and mid-June as a temporary sound barrier during construction works.

The construction of a conventional noise barrier is often complicated by various ground and underground installations, such as cables, drainage systems and various pipelines. But REBLOC offers free-standing concrete safety barriers with integrated noise barrier panels. This combination of noise and safety barrier is tested according to EN 1317-2 to meet the required safety and quality standards in Europe.

The noise barrier itself is tested for noise protection in accordance with EN 1793. This space-saving system offers solutions for containment levels H2 and H4b for total heights from 2-6m and above at a very slim overall width. Thanks to this combined system, REBLOC says that the noise barrier can be placed closer to the noise source, resulting in reduced height or an improved noise protection effect. Also, due to the system’s modular design, various highly absorbent panels made of wood-concrete, aluminum or acrylic glass can be combined to allow for numerous architectural design options.

REBLOC‘s space-saving systems leave more room for traffic lanes. The noise barrier can be moved quickly and easily - a great advantage for temporary application or when future road layout changes are planned.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Stronger crash barriers may be needed for heavier trucks
    November 26, 2012
    The European Road Federation (ERF) has voiced its concern that roadside barriers in Europe may have to be upgraded. Meanwhile the UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has called for roadside barriers to feature post protection so as to reduce the risk of injuries to motorcyclists. According to the ERF, the recent decision of the European Commission to allow cross-border movement of longer and heavier trucks, it is keen to raise awareness of the important implications such a move may have for road barr
  • Managing urban motorway complexity in Sydney
    October 4, 2012
    Sydney’s Hills M2 motorway is being widened while still carrying traffic and meeting tough environmental criteria More than 100,000 vehicles and over 27,000 bus commuters use the Hills M2 motorway on a typical workday, making it one of Sydney’s busiest motorway corridors. Owned and managed by Hills Motorway Ltd (HML) and a key part of the city’s orbital motorway network, the road stretches over 21km, providing a seamless link between the Lane Cove Tunnel and Westlink M7. The Hills M2 Upgrade is one of many
  • Controlled stop with water-filled barrier system
    February 24, 2012
    Road traffic accidents are expensive and often frightening, and now most drivers will have encountered an average 80km/hr speed limit on a fast moving road.
  • Vital structures
    February 10, 2012
    A wide variety of products are available to help bridge owners reduce the need for costly repairs. Bridges are one of the most expensive structures on a highway system, and their maintenance, and where necessary, repair will save millions over time. Prevention being better than cure means that anything that can be done to reduce the need for repair is a good investment. For example, a MOOG bucket-type inspection unit has been commissioned for the Naini Bridge in Allahabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Indi