How do walkway slabs reduce footfall noise outdoors?

Walkway slabs made from PU-bound rubber granules reduce footfall noise outdoors by preventing hard impact sounds from arising and by damping remaining vibrations.

On rigid surfaces, hard heels create short, forceful impacts that are heard as the familiar clacking sound. Wheeled suitcases, skateboards and transport trolleys can also produce rattling noise when small, hard wheels sink into joints, strike edges, or briefly lift over changes in level before hitting the surface again. Wider joints and greater differences in level make these impacts more pronounced.

Elastic walkway slabs and rubber block paving yield slightly under heels and wheels. With hard heels, this cushions the impact so that the typical clacking sound does not arise. Calibrated walkway slabs without chamfered edges create an almost joint-free walking surface, allowing small wheels to run quietly across the elastic rubber surface instead of producing the rattling noise associated with rigid surfacing.

On this elastic rubber surface, the internal damping of walkway slabs made from rubber granules further weakens remaining vibrations and reduces their transmission as structure-borne sound into the substrate. The slabs therefore act as walkable sound-insulating slabs for paths, passageways and courtyards. In hotel and residential developments, they are an effective means of significantly reducing noise levels.