The acoustic performance of the prototype was tested as per ASTM specification. Extensive laboratory and field test for the prototype was carried out by IIT, Kharagpur and National Test House, Kolkata. The tests indicated encouraging sound absorption coefficient and noise reduction capability of the prototype noise barrier.

In terms of the widely accepted A-weighted sound levels, the noise reduction achieved was around 25dB, which is considered at par with noise barriers used in foreign countries. Thus, it is possible to bring down the noise level in highways comfortably from 65 - 90 dB to less than 65dB within city permissible limit of noise level in urban areas is 65dB max in accordance to guidelines laid by US Federal Highway Administration.

The height of a new seven-storey Premier Travel Inn in Borehamwood, Herts, has been cut by nearly 2.5m due to the use of light gauge steel framing, thus saving construction costs. Reducing the overall height of the hotel has cut the external wall area by more than 300m2. It has also brought the floor level of the uppermost storey within the 18m limit above which fire resistance has to be increased to 90 min. Pre-panelised wall frame system achieved a clear floor to ceiling height of 2.4m with a storey height of 2.7m, saving more than 400mm per floor over a typical concrete or hot rolled steel frame structure.

The floor area zones were minimised by suspending metal decking between loadbearing steel frame wall heads, eliminating the need for downstands within the floor support structures. Erected by PAW Structures the hotel has been built off a first floor hot rolled steel and composite metal deck transfer structure. The wall panels were bolted together on site, with the light gauge steel superstructure completed in 14 weeks.

Ref :The structural engineer - 2 November, 2004