Layher provides noise protection for residents

The noise associated with the construction of an access road for a car park for a new shopping mall in Berlin has been minimised with the use of Layher's Protect System.

Construction goes on through the day and night near a residential area and the Layher Protect-System consists of cassette elements, which can not only be used in asbestos removal, sandblasting and weather and pedestrian protection, but also as noise protection.

As a supporting structure for the Protect cladding a polygonal Allround Scaffolding has been designed consisting of individual scaffolding towers with bay lengths of 3.07 m. These are connected by cross bracings. The scaffolding company not only adapted the scaffolding to the architecture of the spindle-shaped access road with a 28 m diameter, but also avoided the need for a vertical gap-filler between the cassette elements. The latter usually ensures in polygonal (multi-angular structures) the required sound protection in the bend areas of the Protect cassettes. By using 3 m long cross bracings instead of the 3.07 m long cross bracings, the standard circumferential rubber seal of the Protect cassettes was sufficient.

The noise protection measure is planned until 2011 until the new shopping centre called Boulevard Berlin opens its gates. On a 60000 m2 plus site the property owner wants to build a, "City within the city" for approximately €390 million. It will include covered pedestrian zones, bridges, galleries, terraces, arcades, restaurants and course shops. To this end the Karstadt store, which was originally opened in 1967 has already been demolished and was re-opened in 2009. As a next step the Wertheim building, built in 1952 and under historical preservation protection, is currently being replaced with a new building with a true-to-original façade and the promised new access road to the parking garage will be built. But, until then, the residents are effectively protected against night time traffic noise.