Latest Development of Low Noise Road Surfacing in Hong Kong - Application on Local Roads with Different Road Characteristics

Abstract

Like other metropolitan cities in the world, road traffic noise is a major problem in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government endeavors to pre-empt road traffic noise issue through comprehensive noise planning process for new road projects or new residential developments. For traffic noise from existing roads, the Government has adopted various noise mitigation strategies, for example, resurfacing with Low Noise Road Surface (LNRS) material, retrofitting of noise barrier, etc., to combat the noise problem. As of today, Polymer Modified Friction Course (PMFC) is the most commonly adopted LNRS in Hong Kong, which serves as a standard road surface material for high-speed roads and expressways. Nonetheless, it is found to be less durable for local roads due to its open-texture, especially for common road characteristics such as frequent start stop, sharp turn, roadside parking, etc. To explore suitable LNRS material for local roads, a trial programme on a newly developed LNRS material - Polymer Modified Stone Mastic Asphalt (PMSMA6), has been launched to evaluate its noise reduction performance and engineering feasibility on local roads with common road characteristics. This paper attempts to share the experience and latest technical findings of the above trial programme on LNRS in Hong Kong.