Long-term Protection from Structure-borne Noise in the Centre of Grenoble

To protect the urban environment from vibrations caused by passing trams, Grenoble relies on mass-spring systems in the city centre. Some sections have been decoupled using Sylomer® solutions from Getzner for more than 30 years, without any need for maintenance. Getzner investigated the long-term performance of the system on a section in Avenue de Valmy, which went into operation in 2004.

The challenge

Permanent protection from vibration immissions caused by the tramway
Tram network of 47 km and 81 stations
High long-term performance of the mass-spring system
Achievable insulation performance of at least 20 dB at 63 Hz
Demanding conditions of the climate in Grenoble and intensive use of the system

The Getzner solution

To protect surrounding buildings from vibrations, a Sylomer® LG28 mass-spring system from Getzner was installed. After 15 years’ operation, the long-term performance of the Getzner solution in the Avenue de Valmy was measured using a range of tests.

Getzner employee performing a vibration analysis on a tram on cobblestones.

Advantages for customers

Perfect, individual solution for structure-borne noise insulation
Unchanged high performance after 15 years of operation
Reliable, long-lasting and maintenance-free elasticity

Despite the climatically demanding conditions in Grenoble and the intensive use of the system, the Getzner solution isolates vibrations just as effectively now as when it was first installed. Thanks to the results, we can go ahead with the planned adjustments of the track in the centre with peace of mind.

Marc Beaumont Rail engineer, Technical Expert, Ingérop