Vibration immission forecast by means of train equivalent synthetic vibration experiments

Abstract

Vibration abatement measures at a railway track require forecasts before the rails are put into place. Due to the multiple feedback system between train, track, geodynamics of the local underground and the dynamic behavior of the neighbourhood buildings these prognoses become very elaborate. All the parameters of the dynamic system scatter extremely as the results from numerous investigations prove. This concerns vibration emission spectra, tunnel mobility, geodynamic vibration loss along the transfer through the underground as well as the natural frequencies from buildings and ceilings. Therefore experimental in-situ investigations are indispensable for trustworthy forecasts. In this paper the VibroScan method is presented, whose basic idea is to implement the principle of equivalence between the synthetic vibrations used for the experiments and train vibration emissions at the highest possible degree. This is focused on emission spectra, force of excitation, unsprung wheelset mass and axle load. The necessary experimental provisions are discussed and some examples of results are given like the protection of the Musikverein building in Vienna or the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona against vibrations from tunnels in the immediate neighbourhood.