As cities grow and densify, the amount of traffic in and through settlement also increases. Horizontal surfaces are increasingly disappearing in favor of housing and infrastructure. This leads to increased noise levels and increased emissions in both residential and green belts.

Where exploitation cannot be adapted in any other way, or where natural shielding against noise cannot be achieved, noise screens are often erected to minimize noise propagation from roads and railways. The most commonly occurring noise screen today consists of wood, but given its prerequisites, the study intends to investigate whether noise screens in concrete can be a better alternative.

The purpose is thus to design and dimension noise screens in concrete. The study is carried out in collaboration with Butong AB, which since 2009 has developed and constructed plant walls in concrete.

The objective is to construct and dimension a self-supporting noise shield, with integrated substrate for plants to grow and germinate, based on Butong's existing plant walls. To achieve the report's objectives, different types of matrices and designs have been evaluated with respect to strength and mechanical properties. The calculations made are numerical and performed in SolidWorks.

The results from the numerical tests have been used to produce a noise shield with intended dimensions and where loads have been applied according to current eurocodes and SIS standards.

The conclusion indicates that green noise screens in concrete maintain a high competitiveness against noise screens in wood. The long span, good mechanical properties and aesthetically pleasing design are some of the factors that support the conclusion.