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While urban rail transit improves transportation convenience, it also has various impacts on residential areas along the line, such as noise and vibration, which are further reflected in real estate prices. Its impact mechanism is complex and requires comprehensive analysis from multiple dimensions, including environmental, health, and economic perspectives.
Noise Impact Analysis
Rail transit noise primarily originates from wheel-rail interaction and equipment system noise. Wheel-rail noise includes rolling noise, impact noise, and screeching noise during curves, while equipment noise includes traction motors, braking systems, and warning signals. Elevated lines are dominated by mid-to-high frequency noise (500–2000 Hz), while underground lines are dominated by low-frequency noise (50–63 Hz). The latter, due to its strong penetrating power, has a more significant impact on high-rise residential buildings.
Noise decreases logarithmically with distance; for every doubling of distance, noise decreases by approximately 6 dB(A). Severe, moderate, and mild impact zones correspond to within 25 meters, 50–100 meters, and beyond 200 meters of the track, respectively. Source control measures such as rail grinding can reduce noise by 3–5 dB(A), while floating slab tracks and sound barriers can also effectively reduce vibration and noise.
The health effects of noise encompass multiple levels, including physiological, psychological, and social aspects. Long-term exposure can lead to hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, and even neurodegenerative diseases, while also triggering problems such as anxiety and sleep disorders. On a societal level, noise interferes with teaching and work efficiency, and increases medical and economic costs.
In typical cases, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Shanghai and other places have seen the phenomenon of "meeting standards but causing disturbances to residents", reflecting that the current standards are out of touch with the residents' actual feelings, and that there are prominent problems such as unclear responsibilities and limited project implementation in the governance process.
Vibration Influence Analysis
Vibration originates from the interaction between wheels and rails and propagates through the track, ground, and building structure, exhibiting different characteristics, especially in underground and elevated sections. The vibration frequency is concentrated in 20–80 Hz, which can easily induce resonance in the building structure, leading to secondary structural noise.
The long-term effects of vibration on buildings can lead to damage to non-structural components and material fatigue, while causing physiological and psychological problems such as sleep disorders and headaches. Economically, residential properties in vibration-sensitive areas are typically 8%–15% cheaper than those in non-vibration areas, and the transaction cycle is also longer.
Case studies show that vibration and noise from Shenzhen Metro Line 6 caused coordinated disturbances to residents, while the actual vibration level of Xi'an Metro Line 4 was lower than predicted. The hidden nature of vibration at Montpellier Metro made remediation difficult. Guangzhou Metro Line 14 successfully reduced vibration by 25 dB using a steel spring floating slab track bed, demonstrating the effectiveness of technical measures.
Analysis of the impact of real estate prices
Rail transit has a dual impact on surrounding property prices. The positive effect is mainly reflected in the premium brought about by improved accessibility, following the "distance decay" law. For example, in Changsha, properties within 500 meters of a subway station have a premium of 8-12%. Convenient commuting, complete supporting facilities, and psychological expectations are the main components of the premium.
Negative effects largely stem from environmental disturbances such as noise and vibration, leading to a decline in living comfort. A Singapore study shows that for every kilometer closer to a railway line, property prices drop by 3-4%. In Shenzhen, Wuhan, and other cities, the phenomenon of "meeting standards but still experiencing depreciation" exists, demonstrating the market's actual reflection of the decisive role of comfort in property prices.
Significant spatial differences are observed across different regions: emerging areas command a substantial premium, while mature areas command a limited premium; areas near the site may experience value loss due to noise and pedestrian disturbances.
Protective measures and enforcement of regulations
Engineering measures include steel rail grinding, floating slab tracks, and sound barriers. For every meter increase in sound barrier height, noise is reduced by approximately 3 dB; fully enclosed barriers offer the best effect but are also very expensive. Architectural measures such as soundproof windows can reduce noise by 20–50 dB , and custom-designed window types can be tailored to specific site noise requirements.
The planning should incorporate vibration and noise reduction concepts during the design phase, such as optimizing the track structure, building layout, and ventilation system.
National standards such as the "Environmental Noise Quality Standard" (GB 3096-2008) stipulate noise limits, but they focus on mid-to-high frequencies and do not adequately cover low-frequency vibrations and residents' subjective feelings. Beijing, Chongqing, and other places have supplemented these standards with local regulations, such as specifying protective distances and implementing full life-cycle management, but they still face problems such as difficulties in implementation and shirking of responsibility.
There are still some problems in noise and vibration control, and it is necessary to achieve the transformation from "compliance with standards" to "health and friendliness" through multi-departmental collaboration .