Overview

EN 16272-6:2023, Railway applications - Infrastructure - Noise barriers and related devices acting on airborne sound propagation - Test method for determining the acoustic performance - Part 6: Intrinsic characteristics - Airborne sound insulation under direct sound field conditions describes a test method for measuring a quantity representative of the intrinsic characteristics of airborne sound insulation for rail noise barriers and related devices: the sound insulation index. The test method is intended for the following applications: - determination of the intrinsic characteristics of airborne sound insulation of noise barriers and related devices to be installed along railways, to be measured either on typical installations alongside railways or in laboratory conditions; - determination of the intrinsic characteristics of airborne sound insulation of noise barriers and related devices in actual use; - comparison of design specifications with actual performance data after the completion of the construction work; - verification of the long-term performance of noise barriers and related devices (with a repeated application of the method); - interactive design process of new products, including the formulation of installation manuals. The test method is not intended for the determination of the intrinsic characteristics of airborne sound insulation of noise barriers and related devices to be installed in reverberant conditions, for example inside tunnels or deep trenches or under covers. Results are expressed as a function of frequency in one-third octave bands, where possible, between 100 Hz and 5 kHz. If it is not possible to get valid measurement results over the whole frequency range indicated, the results need to be given in a restricted frequency range and the reasons for the restriction(s) need to be clearly reported. All noise reduction devices that do not belong to noise barriers and related devices against sound transmission, for example devices to reduce ground vibrations or transported devices, do not fall within the scope of this European Standard. The contents of EN 16272-6:2014 have been integrated into this document, the document has been restructured and the following changes have been made: The standard differs from DIN EN 16272-6:2014-12 as follows: a) the scanning method is based on a grid with nine microphones; the use of a single microphone arranged in nine positions has been discarded; b) a detailed annex on the relationship between the lower frequency limit and the window width has been added (Annex A); c) the manner in which the uncertainty of the measurement procedure can be assessed has been improved on the basis of inter-comparison precision data from the European QUIESST project (Annex B); d) a detailed example is given, including the assessment of measurement uncertainty (Annex C); e) a new annex on indoor measurements has been added (Annex D). This document (EN 16272-6:2023) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 256 "Railway applications", the secretariat of which is held by DIN (Germany), and will replace EN 16272-6:2014. The responsible German standardization committee is Working Committee NA 087-00-01-11 UA "Lärmschutzwände an Schienenwegen" ("Noise barriers at track"). EN 16272, Railway applications - Track - Noise barriers and related devices acting on airborne sound propagation - Test method for determining the acoustic performance, consists of the following parts: Part 1: Sound absorption in the laboratory under diffuse sound field conditions, Part 2: Airborne sound insulation under diffuse sound field conditions; Part 3-1: Normalized railway noise spectrum and single number ratings for diffuse sound field applications; Part 3-2: Normalized railway noise spectrum and single number ratings for direct sound field applications; Part 4: In situ values for sound diffraction in directional sound fields; Part 5: In situ values of sound reflection under direct sound field conditions; Part 6: In situ values of airborne sound insulation under direct sound field conditions and Part 7: Extrinsic characteristics. In situ values of insertion loss.

Responsible national committee

NA 087-00-01-11 UA - Noise barriers at track  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 256/SC 1/WG 40 - Noise barriers