Tom Brownbill
Structural Engineer – Sales Manager, Mageba GroupTom graduated from the University of Sheffield in Civil & Structural Engineering (MEng) with 1st Class Honours, receiving the Institution Of Civil Engineers (ICE) student prize, and is a construction professional with 6 years’ experience in the industry. His experience includes work within an international engineering consultancy, an international contractor and now within a world-leading product specialist. He has worked on a range of projects across a number of sectors, including infrastructure and buildings. He joined Swiss-based mageba sa in 2020 and is responsible for the UK market and other countries in Northern Europe.
My Speaker Sessions
Tuesday 29 November 2022
Minimising noise from expansion joints
Noise generated by traffic crossing road bridges can be a major source of disturbance for local communities and must be carefully considered in planning bridge construction and maintenance projects – especially when specifying expansion joint solutions, since expansion joints are typically mechanical components that introduce discontinuities or unevenness into an otherwise smooth driving surface. The consequences of not adequately considering the potential impact of noise on a community can be substantial, with public relations difficulties and high adaptation or replacement costs.
This presentation explores the subject of noise associated with bridge expansion joints, including an assessment of what types of joint may be considered quiet such as modern flexible plug expansion joint made of special polyurethane material, and how noisier types – such as modular or single-gap joints – may be made quieter, illustrated with case studies including the Queensferry Crossing.
