A highway sound barrier system that uses a plurality of foam panels that are joined with an upright member assembly. The foam panels use a foam core and exterior weather protection compounds allowing the system to dramatically reduce transportation, handling and installation costs while increasing the lifecycle of the barrier system and reducing long term maintenance requirements. Moreover, the foam panels include rotatable joints and cable reinforcement allowing the wall to be easily adjusted to facilitate various landscape parameters and provide for rapid construction.

A wall panel has a block of base material, e.g., expanded polystyrene. A resonator tube is disposed in the block. A sound dampening material is disposed in the resonator tube. The sound dampening material can be recycled mattress or carpet. An inlet pipe extends into the resonator tube. A vent is disposed over the inlet pipe. A barrier wall can be formed by stacking multiple wall panels. Additional resonator tubes can be disposed between the wall panels.

Various implementations include a sound barrier panel including first and second polymeric foam portions, a rubber membrane, and a polyurea coating. The first and second polymeric foam portions each have a first surface, a second surface opposite and spaced apart from the first surface, a first end, a second end opposite and spaced apart from the first end, a top end, and a bottom end opposite and spaced apart from the top end. The second surface of the first polymeric foam portion abuts a first surface of the rubber membrane, and a second surface of the rubber membrane abuts the first surface of the second polymeric foam portion. The polyurea coating covers at least the first surface of the first polymeric foam portion and the second surface of the second polymeric foam portion.

A lateral support device for stabilizing an elongate foundation post installed in a substrate. The lateral support device may include at least one engagement member for engaging the elongate foundation post. The lateral support device may also include a support plate extending from the at least one engagement member. The support plate may have a plate width greater than a post width of the elongate foundation post. The support plate may be slidable relative to the foundation post in an elongate direction when the at least one engagement member engages at least a portion of the elongate foundation post. When the engagement member is in an engaged position, at least a portion of the support plate is below the grade of the substrate.

A sound barrier includes panels comprising a polymeric material and reinforcing inserts encased within the polymeric material; and a frame comprising posts positioned in spaced, parallel relationship and extending vertically upward, and defining inwardly-facing slots for receiving the panels. The panels are mounted lengthwise with ends within the slots and adjacent panels engage each other by tongues and grooves of lateral surfaces. Methods of making the sound barrier are provided.

A hollow plastic wall panel, the panel having a length greater than a width, a thickness less than the width, a front wall, an opposite back wall and opposed first and second long edge regions, wherein the panel comprises a first end and a longitudinally opposite second end, wherein the first long edge region defines at least one first recessed portion to longitudinally receive and mate with a first longitudinal support structure and wherein the second long edge region defines at least one second recessed portion to longitudinally receive and mate with a second longitudinal support structure.

A stiffener member for a hollow elongate panel. The hollow elongate panel may include a first end wall having a groove formation formed by a pair of inner walls and extending a length of the hollow elongate panel. The groove formation may extend into the hollow elongate panel. The stiffener member may include a bight member having opposing ends; a pair of arm members respectively extending from one of the opposing ends of the bight member to provide a substantially U-shaped configuration; and a flange member extending from each of the pair of arm members. The flange member may extend inwardly to abut one of the pair of inner walls of the groove formation when the stiffener member is received within the hollow elongate panel.

Embodiments relate to a plastic wall panel, comprising a hollow body having external walls and defining an internal cavity. The external walls include: a first major side wall, a second major side wall opposite the first major side wall, a minor top wall, a minor bottom wall, a first minor end wall and a second minor end wall opposite the first minor end wall. The minor top wall and the minor bottom wall each define mating structure to mate and align with another adjacent panel so that multiple panels can be tiled together to form at least part of a sound attenuation barrier. The hollow body defines a passage extending between the first and second major side walls and through the first and second minor end walls to receive a reinforcing beam.

A highway sound barrier system that uses a plurality of foam panels that are joined with an upright member assembly. The foam panels use a foam core and exterior weather protection compounds allowing the system to dramatically reduce transportation, handling and installation costs while increasing the lifecycle of the barrier system and reducing long term maintenance requirements. Moreover, the foam panels include rotatable joints and cable reinforcement allowing the wall to be easily adjusted to facilitate various landscape parameters and provide for rapid construction.

A sound barrier system for use in mitigating noise having an origami sheet or origami-inspired mechanism that can use folding to change configuration and lattice topology; and a plurality of cylindrical inclusions disposed on top of the origami sheet. The plurality of cylindrical inclusions being periodically arranged such that folding kinematics of the origami sheet induces reconfiguration of the periodicity of the plurality of cylindrical inclusions and associated wave blocking of the noise.