VIDEO: Geogrids Support Noise Protection for a Dutch Road

The A2 roadway in the Netherlands serves as a primary corridor between major cities within the Netherlands and connects them to others throughout Europe. It runs from Amsterdam via Utrecht and Eindhoven down to the Belgian border at Maastricht. Between Amsterdam and Utrecht, the A2 is the same as the European Road 35, which runs via Frankfurt am Main (Germany) to Rome (Italy).

As part of a redesign of the road to meet its growing capacity requirements, noise protection barriers were added. The system selected utilizes geogrid reinforcement, geotextile separation layers, a wire facing, and erosion control matting to enable a steep, strong barrier with the capability for natural vegetative cover.
Germany-based BBG provided the design of this unique project, which included a 4-km-long noise protection barrier and numerous steep embankments, all of which were constructed with geosynthetic-reinforced mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) structures.
NAUE provided the geosynthetics, with Secugrid® geogrids providing the primary reinforcement.
The MSE structures are built in part on solid ground, but the ground, like many areas of the Netherlands, is prone to subsidence. Some pre-consolidation was performed by means of hydraulic fill sand and vertical drains.
With the reinforcement system—part of NAUE’s m3 systems—and additional products (e.g., geotextiles), the site utilized more than 630,000 m² of geosynthetics.
**
View the video story above and find more project stories, videos, and geotechnical technical notes at www.naue.com.