Simple and fast prediction of train-induced track forces, ground and building vibrations

Abstract

A simple and fast prediction scheme is presented for train-induced ground and building vibrations. Simple models such as (one-dimensional) transfer matrices are used for the vehicle–track–soil interaction and for the building–soil interaction. The wave propagation through layered soils is approximated by a frequency-dependent homogeneous half-space. The prediction is divided into the parts “emission” (excitation by railway traffic), “transmission” (wave propagation through the soil) and “immission” (transfer into a building). The link between the modules is made by the excitation force between emission and transmission, and by the free-field vibration between transmission and immission. All formula for the simple vehicle–track, soil and building models are given in this article. The behaviour of the models is demonstrated by typical examples, including the mitigation of train vibrations by elastic track elements, the low- and high-frequency cut-offs characteristic for layered soils, and the interacting soil, wall and floor resonances of multi-storey buildings. It is shown that the results of the simple prediction models can well represent the behaviour of the more time-consuming detailed models, the finite-element boundary-element models of the track, the wavenumber integrals for the soil and the three-dimensional finite-element models of the building. In addition, measurement examples are given for each part of the prediction, confirming that the methods provide reasonable results. As the prediction models are fast in calculation, many predictions can be done, for example to assess the environmental effect along a new railway line. The simple models have the additional advantage that the user needs to know only a minimum of parameters. So, the prediction is fast and user-friendly, but also theoretically and experimentally well-founded.

Beams on elastic foundations – A review of railway applications and solutions

“…Train-induced ground vibrations have two excitation components: quasi-static and dynamic. Although the former plays an important role at lower frequencies in the near-field, the dynamic excitation, resulting from train-track interaction, is a key contributor to ground vibration levels [227,228]. Thus, to study ground-borne vibration dynamics, a sprung mass moving on a track with a rough rail is considered.…”

Sources of variability in metro train-induced vibration

“…16,17 Despite the large variety of prediction methods available, most studies only predict a deterministic result, i.e., a particular vibration level or response spectrum due to one set of input parameters. 18,19 In reality, the vibration is strongly affected by different types of uncertainty, for example in the train, track, and soil parameters, which can cause the vibration response to be distributed in a certain range instead of having a deterministic value. 20 In-situ measurement results, in particular, indicate that the vibration response varies significantly with different train passages even at a single receiver point.…”

Prediction and mitigation of train-induced vibrations of over-track buildings on a metro depot: Field measurement and numerical simulation

“…The vibration prediction of over-track buildings helps avoid excessive structural vibrations in the preliminary design stage of metro stations. In the past, empirical models based on actual measurements were typically used to predict the vibration response of the buildings along the rail transit lines (Auersch, 2020; Cao et al, 2018; Connolly et al, 2015; Paneiro et al, 2015). The Federal Railroad Administration (Hanson et al, 2012) and the Federal Transportation Administration (Quagliata et al, 2018) published a guiding empirical model to predict the effect of railway operations on the surrounding buildings.…”