A method of economic evaluation of noise mitigation measures in urban rail transit
A method of economic evaluation of noise mitigation measures in urban rail transit
In addition to its many benefits, urban rail transit generates noise pollution that poses critical environmental and public health challenges. Traditional noise control strategies often rely on satisfying regulatory noise limits but do not take into account the social benefits of noise mitigation in the exposed areas. Moreover, conventional evaluation methods for railway transport infrastructure fail to provide a detailed analysis of the long-term socio-economic impact of noise reduction measures. This paper proposes a method for the economic evaluation of noise mitigation measures to enhance the sustainable development of urban rail transit, aiming to identify the most appropriate measures in terms of both cost efficiency and noise mitigation effectiveness. The main novelty lies in the combination of a single measure of life cycle cost (LCC) and monetized noise reduction to model the socio-economic impacts of the measures. The evaluation framework standardizes these impacts into measurable economic indicators, enabling direct comparisons between different measures. A case study involving a residential area adjacent to Beijing Subway Line 13 demonstrates the practical application of this approach. The cost-effectiveness of 4 m high noise barriers and rail grinding is analyzed and compared. Results show both measures have significant benefits: noise barriers incur higher initial costs but offer greater absolute economic benefits due to their superior noise reduction capabilities, and they are more suitable for densely populated areas, whereas rail grinding is recommended for extensive use in regular track maintenance due to its lower unit cost. The proposed evaluation method is verified by comparative analysis with existing methods. It provides a practical decision-making tool for urban rail noise abatement from the viewpoint of sustainability.
Economic assessment, Environmental noise evaluation, Noise mitigation measures in rail transit, Urban rail transit noise control
Zhang, Xianying
cddc4865-9c11-4bcd-b648-d4b6290f7830
Hou, Xiaoqing
ab85c485-a5a2-43f0-8728-d33af5aec7ec
Thompson, David
bca37fd3-d692-4779-b663-5916b01edae5
Li, Qi
193e5502-fc0d-4a67-8b41-ed4d8b560c2f
Zhu, Jianyue
69ffa090-b725-453b-967b-01daafab922c
5 February 2026
Zhang, Xianying
cddc4865-9c11-4bcd-b648-d4b6290f7830
Hou, Xiaoqing
ab85c485-a5a2-43f0-8728-d33af5aec7ec
Thompson, David
bca37fd3-d692-4779-b663-5916b01edae5
Li, Qi
193e5502-fc0d-4a67-8b41-ed4d8b560c2f
Zhu, Jianyue
69ffa090-b725-453b-967b-01daafab922c
Zhang, Xianying, Hou, Xiaoqing, Thompson, David, Li, Qi and Zhu, Jianyue
(2026)
A method of economic evaluation of noise mitigation measures in urban rail transit.
International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology.
(doi:10.1016/j.ijtst.2025.08.006).
Abstract
In addition to its many benefits, urban rail transit generates noise pollution that poses critical environmental and public health challenges. Traditional noise control strategies often rely on satisfying regulatory noise limits but do not take into account the social benefits of noise mitigation in the exposed areas. Moreover, conventional evaluation methods for railway transport infrastructure fail to provide a detailed analysis of the long-term socio-economic impact of noise reduction measures. This paper proposes a method for the economic evaluation of noise mitigation measures to enhance the sustainable development of urban rail transit, aiming to identify the most appropriate measures in terms of both cost efficiency and noise mitigation effectiveness. The main novelty lies in the combination of a single measure of life cycle cost (LCC) and monetized noise reduction to model the socio-economic impacts of the measures. The evaluation framework standardizes these impacts into measurable economic indicators, enabling direct comparisons between different measures. A case study involving a residential area adjacent to Beijing Subway Line 13 demonstrates the practical application of this approach. The cost-effectiveness of 4 m high noise barriers and rail grinding is analyzed and compared. Results show both measures have significant benefits: noise barriers incur higher initial costs but offer greater absolute economic benefits due to their superior noise reduction capabilities, and they are more suitable for densely populated areas, whereas rail grinding is recommended for extensive use in regular track maintenance due to its lower unit cost. The proposed evaluation method is verified by comparative analysis with existing methods. It provides a practical decision-making tool for urban rail noise abatement from the viewpoint of sustainability.
Text
1-s2.0-S2046043026000080-main
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 15 August 2025
Published date: 5 February 2026
Additional Information:
Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 Tongji University and Tongji University Press.
Keywords:
Economic assessment, Environmental noise evaluation, Noise mitigation measures in rail transit, Urban rail transit noise control
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 510104
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/510104
ISSN: 2046-0430
PURE UUID: 91a616d7-c720-4f7e-a620-fec85b49b588
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 17 Mar 2026 18:02
Last modified: 18 Mar 2026 02:35
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Xianying Zhang
Author:
Xiaoqing Hou
Author:
Qi Li
Author:
Jianyue Zhu
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
