Wall panels, barrier wall constructed from same, and methods of making both

1. A barrier wall, comprising:

a first vertical support;

a second vertical support;

a first wall panel disposed between the first vertical support and second vertical support, the first wall panel including,

a first groove formed in a top surface of the first wall panel,

a second groove formed in the top surface of the first wall panel,

a third groove formed in the top surface of the first wall panel, and

a sound absorbing strip disposed in a channel of the first wall panel;

a second wall panel disposed between the first vertical support and second vertical support over the first wall panel, the second wall panel including,

a first groove formed in a bottom surface of the second wall panel,

a second groove formed in the bottom surface of the second wall panel,

a third groove formed in the bottom surface of the second wall panel, and

a sound absorbing strip disposed in a channel of the second wall panel;

an I-beam disposed between the first wall panel and second wall panel, the I-beam including,

a first flange disposed in the first groove of the first wall panel and the first groove of the second wall panel,

a second flange disposed in the second groove of the first wall panel and the second groove of the second wall panel, and

a web extending from the first flange to the second flange; and

a cable disposed in the third groove of the first wall panel and the third groove of the second wall panel.

2. The barrier wall of claim 1 , wherein the cable is attached to the first vertical support.

3. The barrier wall of claim 1 , further including a sound absorbing panel disposed over the first wall panel and second wall panel.

4. The barrier wall of claim 1 , further including a traffic barrier disposed between the first vertical support and second vertical support.

5. The barrier wall of claim 1 , further including a Faraday shield disposed over side surfaces of the first wall panel and second wall panel.

6. The barrier wall of claim 1 , wherein the first vertical support includes a slope.

7. A barrier wall, comprising:

a first vertical support;

a second vertical support;

a first wall panel disposed between the first vertical support and second vertical support;

a sound absorbing material disposed in the first wall panel;

a second wall panel disposed between the first vertical support and second vertical support over the first wall panel;

a sound absorbing material disposed in the second wall panel;

an I-beam disposed between the first wall panel and second wall panel, the I-beam including a flange extending into the first wall panel and second wall panel; and

a cable disposed between the first wall panel and second wall panel.

8. The barrier wall of claim 7 , wherein the I-beam includes a ridge around the cable.

9. The barrier wall of claim 7 , further including a grounding cable attached to the I-beam.

10. The barrier wall of claim 7 , wherein the first vertical support and second vertical support includes a curvature.

11. The barrier wall of claim 7 , further including a traffic barrier disposed between the first vertical support and second vertical support under the first wall panel.

12. The barrier wall of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the traffic barrier extends underground.

13. The barrier wall of claim 11 , wherein the traffic barrier includes steel.

14. A barrier wall, comprising:

a first vertical support;

a second vertical support;

a first wall panel disposed between the first vertical support and second vertical support, the first wall panel including a first channel extending for a length of the first wall panel;

a first sound absorbing material strip disposed in the first channel; and

an I-beam disposed over the first wall panel, wherein the I-beam includes a groove configured to receive a cable.

15. The barrier wall of claim 14 , wherein the first wall panel includes expanded polystyrene and the first sound absorbing material strip includes rock wool or mineral wool.

16. The barrier wall of claim 14 , further including:

a second channel extending for a length of the first wall panel, wherein a top of the first channel is approximately vertically aligned with a bottom of the second channel; and

a second sound absorbing material strip disposed in the second channel.

17. The barrier wall of claim 14 , further including a cable disposed in the groove of the I-beam and attached to the first vertical support.

18. The barrier wall of claim 14 , further including a sound absorbing panel disposed over the first vertical support.

19. The barrier wall of claim 14 , further including a traffic barrier disposed between the first vertical support and second vertical support.

20. The barrier wall of claim 19 , further including:

a cable loop extending from the traffic barrier;

a metal plate extending through a slot of the first vertical support including an opening in the metal plate vertically aligned with the cable loop; and

a rod extending through the cable loop and the opening of the metal plate.

21. A method of making a barrier wall, comprising:

providing a first vertical wall support;

providing a second vertical wall support;

providing a first wall panel;

cutting a channel along a length of the first wall panel;

inserting a sound absorbing material strip into the channel;

disposing the first wall panel between the first vertical wall support and the second vertical wall support; and

disposing an I-beam over the first wall panel, wherein the I-beam includes a flange extending into the first wall panel.

22. The method of claim 21 , further including attaching a Faraday shield over the first wall panel.

23. The method of claim 21 , further including disposing a second wall panel over the first wall panel, wherein the flange of the I-beam extends into the second wall panel.

24. The method of claim 23 , further including disposing a cable between the first wall panel and second wall panel.

25. The method of claim 24 further including attaching the cable to the first vertical wall support.