Nationwide First in Metropolitan Areas!… Busan City's Soundproof Tunnel Completely Replaced with Disaster-Resistant Safety Materials

Implementation Targeting Yeongdo Overpass, Hwamyung Overpass, Jangjeon Underpass, Waseok Underpass

Fire-Resistant Materials... First Case Among Metropolitan Local Governments Nationwide

Busan City has completely replaced the facility materials of four soundproof tunnels within the city area from combustible materials to materials with improved disaster prevention performance.

The four soundproof tunnels are Yeongdo Overpass, Hwamyung Overpass, Jangjeon Underpass, and Waseok Underpass.

The city has completed replacing the facility materials inside the soundproof tunnels from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which has a high risk of fire, to materials with high fire safety such as chemically bonded tempered glass. This is the first case among metropolitan local governments nationwide.

This construction was carried out as part of the "Road Soundproof Facility Safety Enhancement Measures" announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as a follow-up measure after the soundproof tunnel fire incident on the Gyeongin Expressway in December 2022.

In January last year, the city conducted an emergency fire safety inspection jointly with external experts, and based on the inspection results, promoted ▲ short-term measures such as installation of fire extinguishing equipment ▲ long-term measures such as replacement construction with disaster prevention performance materials.

According to the shape and alignment of the soundproof walls, ▲ Yeongdo and Hwamyung Overpasses were replaced with non-combustible tempered glass, and ▲ Waseok and Jangjeon Underpasses were replaced with flame-retardant polycarbonate (PC).

About 1.1 km of four locations including parts of Yeongdo and Hwamyung Overpasses and the entrances and exits of Jangjeon and Waseok Underpasses, which were made of combustible PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), became replacement targets.

In addition, evacuation facilities were also installed to enable drivers to evacuate quickly and safely in case of fire or other disasters inside the tunnels.

According to relevant regulations, ‘evacuation stairs’ and ‘ladders’ were installed on Yeongdo and Hwamyung Overpasses and Gaya Overpass, which exceed 250 meters in length.

Shim Seong-tae, head of the city’s Construction Headquarters, stated, “With this improvement in disaster prevention performance of soundproof tunnels and installation of evacuation facilities, the safety of our city’s soundproof tunnels will be significantly enhanced, and it is expected to provide a safe evacuation environment for drivers in case of tunnel fires.”