Austrian state railway ÖBB is using recycled concrete on a trial basis in the development of new noise barriers. The technology partner is Kirchdorfer Concrete Solutions. 30% recycled concrete is now used in the noise barriers on a 100 m section of the Westbahn railway line near Linz. The first operational trials started in April 2024. Kirchdorfer subsidiary MABA is covering the production and development costs, while ÖBB-Infrastruktur is financing the two-year monitoring programme. The Vienna Technical University is responsible for concrete technology monitoring for at least two winters. The background to the project is that concrete is very resistant and provides good noise protection. However, the environmental impact of its production is problematic, as it generates a lot of CO₂ due to high temperature requirements.
