What is Polycarbonate (PC) Noise Barrier and Its Features?
Noise barriers became a very crucial element of today’s modern city life, especially for those who live around highways. We have mentioned and gave useful information about noise barrier design which is very efficient in blocking noise where it occurs. Although you can use natural obstacles like trees, bush, or hills as a noise barrier; you can also use new-age materials like wooden fences, rubber, or plastics as barriers. These new-age materials may be petroleum-based rubber, polycarbonate (PC) sheets, or PMMA (acrylic).
So, what are the polycarbonate (PC) noise barriers and their distinctive features? Why do we use this material for noise barrier design? And, what are the benefits of PC noise barriers? At Hatko Sound Barrier Company, today we will talk about innovative products PC sheets and PC noise barriers.
What is the Polycarbonate (PC)?
Polycarbonate is a petroleum-based, formless, and transparent thermoplastic material. As polycarbonate is a transparent material, it is frequently used as a replacement for transparent and semi-transparent glasses. Areas or products that we use polycarbonate are;
- Bullet-proof glasses,
- Glasses,
- Automotive industry,
- Medical devices,
- Compact discs (CD),
- Greenhouses,
- Exterior Luminaire.
and many other applications. Polycarbonate is a very common material because it is durable against strikes and transparent.
The most important feature of the material is being thermoplastic. Thermoplastic materials are moldable when they are heated to a certain temperature and become solid again when they get cooled. Even after they are cooled, their features don’t change. So, it is possible to use them again after they change their shape. Also, this feature makes it recyclable.
Another important feature of polycarbonate is to be amorphous. Amorphous materials don’t melt instantly when they are heated. They change their shape slower, so it is easy to reshape amorphous materials.
When we consider noise barriers; transparency, durability, and absorbability features make polycarbonate a perfect material for them.
Definition of Polycarbonate (PC) Noise Barriers
Polycarbonate (PC) noise barriers are manufactured from the polycarbonate material that we mentioned about its features above. So, noise barriers that consist of polycarbonate sheets make it possible to benefit from sunlight in the best way. On the other hand, we construct this type of noise barrier by placing PC sheets between long posts with proper materials. It is possible to manufacture PC sheets in the desired length, thickness, color, and transparency level. So these barriers became in the standards of the hardest standardization criteria; European Standards (EN).
The Features of Polycarbonate (PC) Noise Barriers
Important and distinctive features of the noise barriers are;
- High level of durability against strikes,
- You can manufacture it in the desired thickness,
- Durability against all weather conditions,
- Distinctive edge shape with the desired thickness,
- Light transmittance up to 89%,
- Great reshaping ability,
- Easy manufacturing,
As we can understand from these features, PC sheets are very proper for noise barriers. But, two of its features seem more important than the others.
High-Level Transparency
As we mentioned before, the main aim of the noise barriers is to decrease the noise level of highways and railways and protect the nearby residents from the noise. And, by using PC noise barriers, it is possible to;
- Diminish the noise level,
- Using less steel on structures,
- High level of light transmittance,
- With the help of all these, the ability to make a comprehensive and aesthetic design.
With the help of transparent PC sheets, it is possible to prevent the “tunnel effect” which is a tiring effect on drivers. Also, PC sheets can provide safer visibility and driving ability by preventing black shades over the road. And also, PC sheets will be more successful not to make shades at the places near the highway.
Durability
Other than decreasing noise levels, PC sheets have the required durability and strength for highways.
As the Hatko Sound Barrier Company, we are manufacturing rubber noise barriers. But, we also follow noise prevention methods and technologies closely. And try to obtain new technologies for manufacturing techniques.
