Quieter Urban Crushing and Material Handling

As cities grow, large amounts of excavation and rock materials are generated. For more sustainable urban development, these materials need to be managed in a circular economy where they are upgraded and can be reused for construction purposes with as short transport distances as possible. Concerns over noise levels often prevents urban material handling.

Reducing noise levels in areas where rocks are crushed makes it easier to locate such operations and facilities closer to sites where rock is extracted and where crushed materials are needed. This can reduce the number of heavy transports in cities. "Quieter Urban Crushing and Material Handling" is a continuation of the R&D project "Quieter Crushing", which was conducted between 2018 and 2020.

Purpose and objectives

The Quieter Urban Crushing and Material Handling project strengthens an effective chain of requirements and thus provides considerable opportunities to locate material handling sites in urban areas. The purpose is to provide a basis based on the following:

• Enhanced noise model.
• Purchaser support for requirements.
• Noise monitoring and information feedback.
• Knowledge support for contractors.

The goal is to reduce the calculated noise level by 10 dB at crushing and material handling sites and enable reduced transports, emissions and construction costs.

Results and experiences

The following reports have been produced during the course of the project:

Further reading: