1. Construction Noise

2. Sources of noise Impact noise Engine noise Piling Hand-held breaker
Excavator mounted breaker
Vibration hammer.
Engine noise
Compressors
Generators
Trucks

3. Sound power levels of percussive piling
Piling Method* and Pile Type
Sound Power Level (dB(A))
Diesel hammer driving pre-stressed concrete pile
128
Diesel hammer driving steel pile
132
Diesel hammer driving steel sheet pile
Drop hammer driving concrete pile
116
Drop hammer driving steel pile
126
Drop hammer driving steel sheet pile
129
Hydraulic hammer (double acting) driving pre-stressed concrete pile
Hydraulic hammer (double acting) driving steel pile
Hydraulic hammer (double acting) driving steel sheet pile
Hydraulic hammer (single acting) driving pre-stressed concrete pile
122
Hydraulic hammer (single acting) driving steel pile
Hydraulic hammer (single acting) driving steel sheet pile
Internal drop hammer
113
Pneumatic or steam hammer (double acting) driving steel sheet pile
135
Pneumatic or steam hammer (single acting) driving steel pile
130

4. Sound power levels of powered mechanical equipment
Description
Sound Power Level (dB(A))
Air compressor, air flow <= 10m3/min
100
Asphalt paver
109
Bar bender and cutter (electric) 90
Batching plant
108
Breaker, hand-held, mass <= 10kg
Ballast tamper, hand-held (electric)
105
Bulldozer
115
Conveyor belt
Concrete corer
117
Chipper, hand-held (pneumatic)
112
Concrete lorry mixer
Concrete mixer (electric) 96
Concrete pump, stationary/lorry mounted
Crane, tower (electric) 95
Compactor, vibratory
Derrick barge
104

5. Level statistics

6. Legislation Piling work: General construction work: Product label:
5 hours per day max (daytime 07:00 – 19:00)
General construction work:
Nighttime permit after 19:00
Product label:
Noise level specified for the product

7. Description of Control
Legislation
Noise Control
Description of Control
General Construction Work
Control construction noise from
the use of powered mechanical equipment; and
the carrying out of certain noisy works in designated areas, between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. and on general holidays, by construction noise permits. Director of Environmental Protection issues permit in accordance with two relevant statutory Technical Memoranda.
Percussive Piling
Prohibit percussive piling between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. and on general holidays; and
restrict the working hours of percussive piling at other times by construction noise permits. Director of Environmental Protection issues permit in accordance with a relevant statutory Technical Memorandum.

8. Legislation

9. Legislation 07:00 – 19:00 Leq (30min) All domestic premises 75 dB(A)
Educational Inst.
70 dB(A)
(during examination)
65 dB(A)

10. Assessment
Technical Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work other than Percussive Piling
Technical Memorandum on Noise from Percussive Piling
Technical Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work in Designated Areas

11. Assessment procedures
Location of the most affected Noise Sensitive Receiver (NSR)
Determination of the Area Sensitivity Rating (ASR)
Determination of the Basic Noise Level (BNL)
Correction for the duration of the Construction Noise Permit (CNP)
Correction of multiple Permit situations
Determination of the Acceptable Noise Level (ANL)
Location of items of Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME)
Sound power levels for items of Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME)
Distance attenuation and summation of noise levels
Corrections for the effective of barriers
Corrections for acoustic reflections
Corrected Noise Level (CNL) at the Noise Sensitive Receiver (NSR)
Construction Noise Permit (CNP) issuing procedure
Ref. to Technical Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work Other Than Percussive Piling, HKEPD

12. Control of construction noise
concrete and rock breaking machines
control method
Silenced equipment
pneumatic breaker fitted with mufflers and damping collars
hydraulic breakers
excavator-mounted breaker with sound-proof hammer bracket
New alternative (quieter) techniques
Concrete crusher
thermal lance
non-explosive demolition agent
pile cracker
cardox (alternative to explosives)

13. Control of construction noise
Power units for various types of plants
control techniques
Noises are generated by internal combustion engines from stationary sources (such as compressors, generators, concrete pumps and welding sets) and earth moving plant (such as excavators m bulldozers, loaders and dump trackers).
Exhaust noise: improve design and silencers
Cooling noise: better designed fan
Engine noise: enclosures

14. Control of construction noise
Noise control practice on site
Selection of quiet equipment
Sitting of equipment
Scheduling of work
Use of acoustic barriers
Use of acoustic machinery enclosures

15. Control of construction noise
Noise from pile driving
Percussive pilling (involve the use of impact devices such as diesel, pneumatic or steam or drop hammers for driving piles into the ground)
Ringing and impact noise
Exhaust noise
- Non-percussive piling methods (without use of impact pile driver): vibratory hammers, rotary boring etc.
- Quieter proprietary piling methods (internal drop hammers, hydraulic hammers, BSP Impulse pile driver etc.)

16. Quieter machines for demolition works

17. Local Case study 1: Widening of Fo Tan Road
Piling Method

18. Widening of Fo Tan Road

19. Widening of Fo Tan Road Observations and Achievements
Under the normal provision of the Noise Control Ordinance, a contractor is allowed to pile 3 hours a day (using drop hammer producing percussive type noise impact). In this project, the percussive pilling period was reduced to 2 hours after school hours in the afternoon per day. Impact on school was thus reduced. The contractor also took positive actions to administer other noise control measures e.g. prohibiting shouting, whistling etc., to reduce the daytime construction noise.

20. Local Case study 2: Light Rail Reserve at Tuen Mun

21. Light Rail Reserve at Tuen Mun

22. Local Case study 3: West Rail Tai Lam Tunnel

23. West Rail Tai Lam Tunnel

24. Local Case study 4: Decommissioning Work at the North Apron of Kai Tak Airport

25. Decommissioning Work

26. Local Case study 5: Road Repair Work

27. Road Repair Work

28. References Technical memorandum on noise from percussive piling, HKEPD
Technical Memorandum for the Assessment of Noise from Places Other Than Domestic Premises, Public Places or Construction Sites, HKEPD
Technical Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work Other Than Percussive Piling, HKEPD
Technical Memorandum on Noise from Construction Work in Designated Areas, HKEPD