On-site performance of a noise barrier with a ventilation-enabled design

Noise barrier is a conventional measure to obstruct the propagation of traffic noise to designated noise sensitive areas. It have been proven that typical noise barrier designs, which emphases a continuous rigid wall shape, can effectively block noise transmission. However at the same time, these designs discourage the air ventilation in nearby areas. The effect is similar to those of the walled buildings in high-density cities. Ventilation-enabled barrier (VNB) is a noise barrier with designed placement of openings such that air movement across it is possible. The VNB design aims to balance the efficiencies of noise attenuation of and air movement across a noise barrier. A prototype with VNB design has been installed on the podium floor of a housing estate, and site measurement has been carried out. There are totally seven measurement points, with two located on the top part of the barrier prototype, one located at human-ear level on podium floor, and four at 1 m away from on the façade facing the main traffic road nearby the estate, such that vertical profile along the façade of the building can be studied. The measurement is carried out in peak hours of traffic. Result reveals that the noise level increase at those measurement points on the façade are less than 1 dB after the conventional solid wall barrier is replaced by the VNB.