9
Groundborne Noise Impact Assessment
This section presents findings of the assessment of groundborne noise
for both construction and operational groundborne noise of the Project. For construction phase, the dominant
groundborne noise impacts from Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) have been assessed
for the construction of a short tunnel section approaching to Diamond Hill
Station (DIH). Open cut
construction will be adopted for construction of Kai Tak
Station (KAT) and DIH. Modification
works of Hung Hom Station (HUH) will be constructed
underneath the existing Hung Hom podium. Hence, construction groundborne noise
due to these works would not be anticipated. For the construction of Hung Hom train stabling sidings (HHS), hydraulic breaker, drilling
rig, pipeline, handheld breaker would be used. The use of these
Powered Mechanical Equipments (PME) would be adopted for at-grade construction
works such as demolition, site investigation and utilities diversion, etc and
hence, construction groundborne noise due to the proposed HHS would not be
anticipated.
For operational phase, the noise impact caused by train movement near
HHS, KAT and DIH has been taken into account. It is concluded that the noise impact
generated would not cause adverse impact and hence mitigation measures would
not be required.
9.2.1
Construction
Groundborne Noise
Control over construction
groundborne noise is governed by the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO), the
Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO), and their subsidiary
requirements. Noise arising from
general construction works during normal working hours is governed by the
TM-EIAO under the EIAO as shown in Table 9.1
below. TM for the Assessment of
Noise from Places other than Domestic Premises, Public Places or Construction
Sites (TM-Places) under the NCO stipulates that noise transmitted primarily
through the structural elements of building, or buildings, shall be 10 dB(A) less than the relevant ANLs. This approach to derive
groundborne noise limit is pragmatic given the temporary nature of the
construction works and the practical difficulty to abate the inherently noise
construction activities (e.g. rock drilling / breaking).
The TMs applicable to the
control of groundborne noise from construction activities in the current
proposed SCL (HHS) works are:
·
Technical Memorandum for the Assessment of
Noise from Places Other Than Domestic Premises, Public Places or Construction
Sites (TM-Places) under the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO);
·
TM on Noise from
Construction Work other than Percussive Piling (TM-GW); and
·
TM on
Environmental Impact Assessment Process (TM-EIAO).
For schools where a
completely immersed attention is often needed, daytime groundborne construction
noise criterion of 60dB(A) applies with reference to TM-EIAO 70dB(A) criterion
and taking account of the minus 10dB(A) requirement under the NCO
TM-Places. Following the same
principle for groundborne noise criteria, groundborne construction noise levels
inside domestic premises relying on open window for ventilation will be limited
to 65dB(A), with reference to the daytime airborne noise criterion of 75dB(A)
in accordance with TM-EIAO.
In the evening (1900 –
2300hrs) and during nighttime (2300 – 0700hrs), the
TM on Noise from Construction Work other than Percussive Piling (TM-GW)
applies. Again, following the
principle of deriving groundborne noise criteria, groundborne noise level will
be limited to 10dB(A) below the respective ANLs for
the Area Sensitivity Rating. A
summary of these criteria is given in Table 9.1
below.
Table 9.1: Construction groundborne noise criteria
for schools and domestic premises
NSR Description |
Groundborne Noise Criteria, dB(A) [1] |
||
Daytime |
Daytime during
general holidays and Sundays and all days during Evening |
Night-time |
|
School – Classrooms |
60/55[3] |
55 |
[2] |
Domestic Premises |
65 |
55 |
45 |
Notes: [1] Parameter used
is Leq, 30mins
[2] No sensitive
uses during these periods
[3] A 5dB(A)
reduction to the groundborne noise criterion is recommended for school during
examination period.
9.2.2
Operation
Groundborne Noise
The operational
groundborne noise criteria for the representative Noise Sensitive Receivers
(NSRs) of SCL (HHS) are tabulated in Table 9.2
below.
Table 9.2: Operational groundborne noise criteria
NSR Description |
ASR Rating |
Groundborne Noise Criteria, LAeq
30mins |
||
Day & Evening |
Night |
Criteria Employed |
||
Domestic
premises along alignment |
A |
50 |
40 |
40 |
B |
55 |
45 |
45 |
|
C |
60 |
50 |
50 |
9.3.1
Noise Sensitive Receivers
There is one existing residential NSR that would be potentially affected
by the TBM construction of a short (~100m) tunnel section approaching to
DIH. Appendix 8.2
and Appendix 8.3
present the information of this NSR and its location is illustrated in Figure 9.1.3.
9.3.2
Groundborne Noise Sources from Construction
Activities
Details of the construction methodologies are given in Section 3 of this EIA report. Potential groundborne noise impacts on
NSRs during the construction phase will arise mainly from the operation of
TBM. Other construction activities
such as lorry movement, concreting, road paving etc are unlikely to generate
significant groundborne noise. Airborne construction noise of these activities
is addressed in Section 8 of this
EIA Report.
9.3.3
Groundborne Noise Prediction Methodology
The method used to predict construction groundborne noise is based on
the U.S. Department of Transportation “High-Speed Ground Transportation Noise
and Vibration Impact Assessment”, 1998 [9-1]. The vibration level Lv,rms at a distance R from the source is related to
the vibration source level at a reference distance Ro. The conversion from vibration levels to
groundborne noise levels is determined by the following factors:
Cdist: Distance
attenuation
Cdamping: Soil
damping loss across the geological media
Cbuilding: Coupling
loss into building foundation
Cfloor: Coupling
loss per floor
Cnoise: Conversion
factor from floor vibration levels to noise levels
Cmulti: Noise
level increase due to multiple sources
Ccum: Cumulative
effect due to neighbouring sites
The predicted groundborne
noise level Lp
inside the noise sensitive rooms is given by the following equation.
Lp = Lv,rms
+ Cdist + C damping +
Cbuilding + Cfloor
+ Cnoise + Cmulti
+ Ccum
9.3.4
Reference
Vibration Sources
The vibration measurements
for the TBM were extracted from the in-situ measurements during the bored
tunnelling of Kwai Tsing
Tunnel of the West Rail project.
These measurements were adopted in previous approved EIA study[9-3]. The geology consists of mainly granite,
which is considered similar to the geology along the alignment. The measurements records are considered
the most appropriate available information for the purpose of assessing TBM
groundborne noise.
9.3.5
Soil Damping Loss
Internal losses of soil
would cause the vibration amplitude to decay against the propagation distance
and the decay relationship is based on the equation set out in the
Transportation Noise Reference Book[6-3]:
The velocity amplitude V is
dependent on the frequency f in Hz, the soil or rock loss factor
h,
the wave speed c in m/s, the distance R from the source to the NSR. The properties of soil materials are
based on Ungar and Bender[9-2] and
reproduced in Table 9.3. No soil damping loss is applied for
conservative.
Table 9.3: Wave propagation properties of soils
Soil Type |
Longitudinal Wave Speed c, m/s |
Loss Factor, h |
Density, g/cm3 |
Rock |
3500 |
0.01 |
2.65 |
Clay, clayey soil |
1500 |
0.5 |
1.7 |
9.3.6
Coupling Loss into
Building Structures
This represents the change
in the incident ground-surface vibration due to the presence of the piled
building foundation. The empirical
values based on the guidance set out in the Transportation Noise Reference Book[9-2] are given in Table 9.4. In addition, a coupling loss correction
of -18 dB from bedrock to pile should be adopted. However, the correction from
bedrock to pile depends on actual site condition and correction of zero is
assumed for conservative approach.
Table 9.4 : Loss factor for coupling into building
foundation
Frequency |
Octave Band Frequencies, Hz |
|||||
16 |
31.5 |
63 |
125 |
250 |
500 |
|
Loss factor for coupling into building foundation, dB |
-7 |
-7 |
-10 |
-13 |
-14 |
-14 |
9.3.7
Coupling Loss Per
Floor
This represents the
floor-to-floor vibration transmission attenuation. In multi-storey buildings, a common
value for the attenuation of vibration from floor-to-floor is approximately 1dB
attenuation in the upper floor regions at low frequencies and greater than 3dB
attenuation at lower floors at high frequencies. Coupling loss of –1 dB reduction per
floor is assumed for conservative assessment.
9.3.8
Conversion from
Floor Vibration to Noise Levels
Conversion from floor
vibration levels to indoor reverberant noise levels is based on standard
acoustic principles. The conversion
factor is dependent on the surface area S of the room in m2, the
radiation efficiency η, the volume of the room V in m3 and
the room reverberation time RT in seconds.
Analyses had been carried out for concert hall, theatres, lecture hall
and recording studios for the KTE EIA report[9-16],
these values are summarised in Table 9.5
and adopted for the present study.
Table 9.5: Conversion factors from floor vibration levels
to indoor reverberant noise levels
NSR Description |
Conversion Cnoise |
Hotel guestrooms and residential units |
-27 |
School classrooms |
-27 |
9.4.1
Noise Sensitive
Receivers
NSRs identified for the
Project include existing and planned domestic premises near the short tunnel
under Chatham Road North for HHS, the associated tunnel of KAT and the
associated tunnel of DIH. Domestic
premises are taken into account during both the daytime and night-time
periods. Appendix 8.2
and Figures 9.1.1 to 9.1.3 show the details
of these NSRs.
9.4.2
Groundborne Noise
Sources from Operation
When trains operate in
tunnels that are located in close proximity to occupied structures, vibrations
associated with train passbys will be transmitted
through the ground and structure, and radiated as noise in the spaces occupied
within the structure. Depending on the source strength and receiver
sensitivity, noise and vibration levels may be high enough to cause annoyance
to the NSRs.
The respective train
frequency assumed along the main alignment of SCL(TAW-HUH)
(including tracks within KAT and DIH and their associated alignment) and shunt
neck (including the short tunnel section south of
9.4.3
Groundborne Noise
Prediction Methodology
The current prediction
methodology recommended by the FTA Manual [9-1] is used in this EIA
study. The manual is issued by the
US Department of Transportation in 1995 and is intended to provide guidance in
preparing and reviewing the noise and vibrations sections of environmental
submittals to the US Government.
The methodology has been applied to a number of transit systems in
The basic equation
describing the model, in decibels, is
L = FDL + LSR + TIL + TCF +
BCF + BVR + CTN + TOC + SAF,
Where the prediction
components are:
L : Ground borne vibration or
noise level within the structure, re: 1 m-in/sec or 20 m-Pascal
FDL : Force density level for the
KCR SP1900 EMU, re: 1 lb/in0.5
LSR : Unit force incoherent line
source response for the ground, re: 1 m-in/sec
TIL : Trackform attenuation or
insertion loss, relative level
TCF : Vibration coupling between
the tunnel and the ground for soil based tunnels, relative level
BCF : Vibration coupling loss
factor between the soil and the foundation, relative level
BVR : Building vibration reduction
or amplification within a structure from the foundation to the occupied areas,
relative level
CTN : Conversion from floor and
wall vibration to noise, 1 m-in/sec
to 20 m-Pascal
TOC : Turnout and Crossover Factor
SAF : Safety margin to account for
wheel/rail condition and projection uncertainties
Predictions are in most
cases based on assuming the closest distance from the track centreline to the
building foundation of the receiver; however, if a particular facility within a
structure is the sensitive receiver, the setback distance is assumed to be from
the track centreline to the closest part of the affected receivers. Where curved track occurs the track is
considered to be straight and perpendicular to the closest setback point of the
venue or receiver.
Predicted groundborne noise
levels are compared to relevant noise criteria for different trackform
options. Using these comparisons,
trackform requirements is assessed and design recommendations made, as
necessary, so that there will be no adverse impact caused by groundborne
noise.
9.4.4
Force Density
Level (FDL)
The vibration source
strength level (Force Density Level) for train operations on the SCL (HHS) will
be derived from wayside vibration measurements taken in March 2003 during
SP1900 seven car EMU passbys on ballast and sleeper
track at Pat Heung Depot for the approved KSL EIA Report [9-3]. The FDL spectrum was measured at a
reference train speed of 60kph. FDL
spectrum for other speeds are obtained with a correction of 20log(V/Vref), in-line with FTA manual[9-1]. The duration of one passby
is the period between the passage of the front and rear ends of the train pasts
the closest point on the alignment to the building foundation. Measurement results have been given in
the KSL EIA Report and presented in Appendix 9.4.
9.4.5
Line Source
Response (LSR)
The basic quantity required for the determination
of LSR is the vibration response caused by a unit point source impact, which is
defined as the Point Source Response (PSR). Given the PSR is along the alignment
over the length of the train, the LSR follows directly by incoherent
integration of the PSR over the length of the train. However, the determination of the PSR
for force point impacts along the alignment over the length of the alignment is
not practical. LSR has already been measured in Hong Kong at a number of
locations, and the most relevant of these measured results taking into account
the ground type have been used for calculation. The appropriate vibration
propagation characteristic, in terms of LSR & PSR, will be established from
the approved XRL EIA Report [9-4] and WIL EIA Report [9-5]
respectively. While reference LSR
data adopted are presented in Appendix 9.5, typical PSRs are presented in Table 9.6 below:
Table 9.6:
Typical PSR values to be adopted
NSR ID |
NSR Description |
Reference Borehole |
HUH-3-1 |
Wing
Fung Building |
WIL
D018 D=15m R=28m |
KAT-P1-1 |
Residential
premises near Kai Tak Station |
WIL
D018 D =15m R=28m |
DIH-P3-1 |
TBA |
WIL
D002 D=20m R=24m |
LSR values depend on the
depth of the tunnel and the depth of the rock head, and to a lesser extent on
the ground material types. It varies along the length of any project. It is
generally possible to measure LSR values at some sites along the alignment, it is not possible to measure at all NSRs.
Further, it is uncommon to be able to measure at particular NSRs because of
site constraints and difficulty of gaining testing and drill rig access. For
this reason, site measurements are mostly used to obtain generalized
information pertinent to particular ground conditions so that the results can
be used to establish the LSR values to apply to NSRs with the same or similar
ground conditions.
When LSR testing was
carried out for the WIL project, a number of tests were carried out to provide
information for future MTR Corporation’s projects. Sixteen boreholes were
tested in a range of ground conditions over the full length of WIL project. At
each borehole, two depths were tested and for each depth, seven measurement
distances were used. The extensive amount of information derived was more than
the information required for WIL analysis. The obtained LSR values form a
database of LSR information. This database is a better source of LSR
information for present assessment.
Nonetheless, MTR
Corporation will further review the LSR values and mitigation during the
construction stage after the tunnel boring.
9.4.6
Trackform Insertion Loss (TIL)
The TIL for various trackform types of existing MTR alignments had been
presented in previous EIA reports.
Wherever appropriate, these TIL maybe adopted in the present study. Specifically, four types of trackforms
have been considered for the design of SCL (HHS):
Type 0: Direct
fixation.
Type
1: Alternative 1 baseplate
trackform.
Type 2: Egg type
baseplate trackform.
Type
3: Floating Slab Trackform
with resonant frequency of 12.5Hz.
The prediction is based on a conservative approach. Despite the slim chance of mitigation
measure being required, contingency mitigation measures could be adopted within
the current tunnel diameter if necessary. These contingency measures could be
as follows:
• Alt
1 resilient baseplates (Type 1) – additional
attenuation of 5 to 10(A) or
• Isolated
Slab Track (Type 4) – additional attenuation of 15 to 20 dB(A).
Changing of the tunnel dimensions would not be required in cases where
contingency measures are required.
Further measurements would be conducted to check the accuracy of the
noise prediction after the tunnel construction where necessary.
9.4.7
Tunnel Coupling Factor (TCF)
With reference to the FTA Manual[9-1], a 5dB reduction in ground-borne noise level with reference to bored tunnel in soil would be assumed for station structures respectively.
9.4.8
Building Coupling
Factor (BCF)
This factor is recommended by the US DOT Report [9-1]. This factor applies to large heavy
structures identified for SCL (HHS) where vibration intrusions into the
structure occur primarily over foundation surfaces that are adjacent to
soil. No BCF should be applied to
structures over foundations that are adjacent to rock. The following 5 types of
buildings would be considered:
Type 1: Large
masonry building on piles
Type 2: Large
masonry building on spread footings
Type 3: Single
family residential
Type 4: 1 to 2
Storey residential
Type 5: 2 to 4
Storey masonry building on spread
The typical setting
along the SCL (HHS) alignment is that the piles of a building penetrates the
soil layer and (for some taller buildings) touches the rock below. As a conservative approach, no BCF is
applied to the NSRs assessed.
9.4.9
Building Vibration Response (BVR)
The BVR is introduced to account for the floor-to-floor vibration
attenuation. The corrections for resonance amplification due to floor, wall and
ceiling spans for all buildings are presented in Table 9.6a. The correction adopted was the case for
WIL EIA Report [9-5]. A -2dB attenuation per floor is adopted for
the first 5 floors. This is in line
with the FTA Manual [9-1].
Table 9.6a: Building amplification values to be adopted
|
1/3 Octave Band
Frequency (Hz) |
|||||||
Corrections |
20 |
25 |
32 |
40 |
50 |
63 |
80 |
100 |
BVR |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
5.8 |
5.4 |
5.2 |
5.0 |
Corrections |
125 |
160 |
200 |
250 |
315 |
400 |
500 |
|
BVR |
4.8 |
4.0 |
3.0 |
2.0 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
|
9.4.10
Conversion To
Noise (CTN)
A +2dB correction
is assumed for conversion of vibration (re.: 10-6in/sec)
to noise (re.: 20 mPa). This is in line with previously approved
EIA report.
9.4.11
Ground Vibration Transmission
In most groundborne noise assessments, and usually
on account of a lack of measurement data, only the most rudimentary aspects of
the propagation of vibration through the ground from the tunnel to the
structure are taken into account.
In this study, considerable care was taken in quantifying the six
possible paths through the soil, the rock and along the rock interface that
vibration can take from the tunnel to the structure. It is then assumed that vibration
propagates to the structure along all relevant paths and the vibration impact
on the structure is determined as the energetic sum of vibration following all
relevant paths, thus necessarily resulting in predictions that are conservative
in nature.
9.4.12
Turnout and Crossover Factor (TOC)
The increase in vibration level at turnouts and crossings is not easily
characterized. For standard level turnouts and crossings receiving average
maintenance, the USFTA handbook recommends a correction of 10dB. For modern
inclined turnouts in good condition, where impact loads are lessened, it was
found through measurement that a correction of 5dB is often more appropriate.
9.4.13
Safety Factor
9.4.14 Cumulative Groundborne Train Noise Impacts
There would be cumulative
groundborne train noise impacts at the following locations.
Location |
Cumulative Train Noise Sources |
HHS DIH |
·
Proposed KTE ·
SCL (MKK-HUH) ·
SCL (TAW-HUH) ·
Existing Kwun Tong Line (KTL) |
|
|
The planned receivers
DIH-P3-1 and DIH-P3-2 are located about 60m horizontally from the existing KTL
near Diamond Hill. Hence, it is not envisaged that the operation of KTL would
result in adverse cumulative effects at a separation distance more than
60m.
Cumulative groundborne
noise impacts due to other railway projects (i.e. SCL (TAW-HUH), SCL (MKK-HUH)
and Proposed KTE) near HHS have been assessed, and the results can be found in Table 9.8. With the combined effect of distance
receivers and significant margin to the noise criteria, adverse cumulative
noise impact is not anticipated.
Outside the worksites of
KAT and DIH, cumulative groundborne noise impacts associated with the remaining
alignment (i.e. due to SCL (TAW-HUH)) are considered not significant on the
identified NSRs given the shortest separation distance between track and NSRs
has been assumed on HHS option as the worst case scenario.
Details of the construction methodologies, plant inventory and
construction programme are given in Section
3 of this EIA report. Bored
tunnelling would be conducted for the following area:
i.
Diamond Hill -
near the entrance of DIH
The extent of this section runs from south-west of the proposed
alignment to DIH for about 100m based on the HHS option. The area mainly consists of residential
premises. The identified NSR that
could be affected by the proposed bored tunnelling is at least 60m away from
the tunnel boring machine. The
predicted maximum groundborne noise level of the identified NSR is 36dB(A) and is well below the adopted groundborne noise
criteria. Adverse groundborne noise
impact due to bored tunnelling on the NSR for this short section of the
alignment is not anticipated.
Detailed analyses of construction groundborne noise are given in Appendix 9.1.
9.5.2
Cumulative Noise
Impacts
Given the construction groundborne noise is much lower than the
stipulated criteria, cumulative noise impacts from
concurrent projects are not anticipated.
9.6
Assessment Results – Operational Groundborne Noise
9.6.1
Noise Impact from SCL (HHS)
With the methodology and
corrections presented in the above sections, groundborne noise levels for the
identified NSRs are tabulated in Table 9.7
below. NSRs are identified at
HHS, KAT and DIH. Detailed calculations are given in Appendices 9.2
and 9.3.
Speed profile of the SCL (HHS) is given in Appendix 9.7.
Table 9.7: Summary
of predicted groundborne noise level
NSR ID |
NSR Description |
Sensitive Floor |
Train Averg. Speed[1] (kph) |
Predicted Maximum Noise Level (Lmax) |
Nighttime Scenario |
Daytime Scenario |
||
Predicted Leq,30min |
Criterion |
Predicted Leq,30min |
Criterion |
|||||
HUH-1-3 |
Wing Fung Building |
1 |
25 |
30 |
22 |
45 |
25 |
55 |
KAT-P1-1 |
Residential premises near Kai Tak
Station |
2 |
35 |
32 |
23 |
45 |
26 |
55 |
KAT-P1-2 |
Residential premises near Kai Tak
Station |
2 |
50 |
35 |
25 |
45 |
28 |
55 |
KAT-P1-3 |
Residential premises near Kai Tak
Station |
2 |
70 |
43 |
31 |
45 |
34 |
55 |
KAT-P1-4 |
Residential premises near Kai Tak
Station |
2 |
65 |
30 |
<20 |
45 |
<20 |
55 |
KAT-P1-5 |
Residential premises near Kai Tak
Station Site 1A |
2 |
60 |
51 |
40 |
45 |
43 |
55 |
KAT-P1-6 |
Residential premises near Kai Tak
Station Site 1B |
2 |
55 |
36 |
25 |
45 |
28 |
55 |
DIH-11-1 |
Lung Wan House |
1 |
35 |
26 |
<20 |
45 |
<20 |
55 |
DIH-P3-1 |
TBA |
2 |
60 |
47 |
36 |
45 |
39 |
55 |
DIH-P3-2 |
TBA |
2 |
60 |
47 |
36 |
45 |
39 |
55 |
Notes: [1] Individual
speed is estimated from tentative speed profiles.
As the nighttime noise
criteria is 10dB(A) more stringent than the daytime,
compliance with the nighttime criteria would
typically mean compliance with the daytime criteria at the NSRs. A sensitivity test has been conducted to
examine the noise effect if the train frequency is increased in the future
operation. As compared with the
predicted daytime noise levels based on the assumption of 24
trains/direction/hour (see Table 9.7),
an increase of 0.3dB(A) and 0.7dB(A) would be
predicted respectively for 26 and 28 trains/direction/hour. So even cumulative impacts from the main
alignment are taken into account, the upward adjustment would still result in
compliance of the daytime noise criteria at all NSRs.
It should be noted that the refuge sidings in KAT
are for emergency purpose and are normally not in operation, groundborne noise
impact is therefore not anticipated.
Results in Table 9.7
show that the predicted groundborne noise levels for NSRs for the Project are
well below the NCO criteria. Hence,
mitigation measures are not required.
9.6.2
Cumulative Noise Impact from Concurrent
Projects
As discussed in Section 9.4.14, the identified NSR near
HHS would be subject to the cumulative impacts from KTE, SCL (TAW-HUH) and SCL
(MKK-HUH). The following table summarises the predicted cumulative impact.
Table 9.8: Cumulative Noise Impact at Noise
Sensitive Receivers
NSR ID |
NSR Description |
Noise
Contribution, Leq 30mins
dB(A) |
Total Leq
30mins dB(A) |
Compliance |
|||
SCL (HHS) |
SCL (TAW-HUH) |
SCL (MKK-HUH) |
KTE |
||||
HUH-1-3 |
Wing Fung Building |
22 |
38 |
20 |
<20 |
38 |
Yes |
9.6.3
Recommendations
Prediction of operational
groundborne noise indicates the criteria will be achieved and mitigation
measures are not required. MTR
Corporation will further review the LSR values and mitigation during the
construction stage after the tunnel boring. A noise commissioning test is
recommended to be conducted prior to operation of the Project for verification
of EIA predictions and checking of the compliance of the operational
ground-borne noise levels with the NCO noise criteria.
Potential
groundborne noise sources during the construction phase have been
identified. The noise impacts on
neighbouring sensitive receivers have been quantified. Results indicate that the predicted
impacts are within the statutory requirements and hence mitigation measures are
not required. There are no adverse
residual impacts exceeding the construction groundborne noise criterion.
Projections of
ground borne noise at identified representative sensitive receivers have been
performed, based on a methodology recommended by the US Department of
Transportation and assuming an additional 10 dB safety factor. Results suggest that the predicted
impacts are within the statutory requirements and hence mitigation measures are
not required. MTR Corporation will
further review the LSR values and mitigation during the construction stage
after the tunnel boring. A noise commissioning test is recommended to be
conducted prior to operation of the Project for verification of EIA predictions
and checking of the compliance of the operational ground-borne noise levels
with the NCO noise criteria.
[9-1]
[9-2] “Transportation Noise Reference
Book” by P.M. Nelson, published by Butterworth & Co. (Publishers) Ltd,
1987.
[9-3]
[9-4] Hong
Kong Section of
[9-5]
[9-6] Noise
Control Ordinance (Cap 400), HKSAR dated June 1997
[9-7] Technical
Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work other than Percussive Piling, EPD
dated March 1996
[9-8] Technical
Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work in Designated Areas, EPD dated June
1999
[9-9] Technical
Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (EIA Ordinance), EPD
dated September 1997
[9-10] Technical
Memorandum on Noise from Percussive Piling, EPD dated June 1999
[9-11] Technical
Memorandum For the Assessment of Noise From Places
Other Than Domestic Premises, Public Places or Construction Sites
[9-12] Calculation
of Railway Noise 1995, The Department of
[9-13] Wayside
Noise Levels for the SP1900 EMU Operating on West Rail Ballast and Sleeper
Track, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
[9-14]
[9-15] Tai Wai to Ma On Shan Extension:
Environmental Impact Assessment, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, October
1999.
[9-16] Kwun
Tong Line Extension: Environmental Impact Assessment, Mass Transit Railway
Corporation, June 2010.