Abstract: The tunnels constructed by drilling and blasting method are always located in a semienclosed environment and characterized by concentrated distribution of highpower and highnoise machinery, which makes it more serious than ground construction in terms of noise problem. In particular, the sound pressure level of the drilling embrasure process is the highest. As a result, the type and magnitude of noise that workers are exposed to and the law of noise propagation in the tunnel are studied based on the Guigala Tunnel Project of Laze Expressway. According to the comparison result between field measurement and numerical simulation by Comsol Multiphysics software, it is found that the highfrequency noise in the tunneling face generally reaches 105 dB(A) and above, and the working face drill embrasure noise still reaches 90 dB (A) after spreading to the secondary lining and inverted arch area, which would do harm to the worker′s health at secondary lining and invert area. Influenced by the structures and boundary conditions, the attenuation rate in the axial direction is not uneven. Due to the sound focusing effect of the arch section, the sound energy in the same section shows that the local sound pressure level of 3~4 m above the center line of the bottom slab is higher than that around the arch.

Key words: highway tunnel, drilling and blasting method, noise propagation characteristics, numerical simulation