A frequency-domain formulation for predicting ground-borne vibration induced by underground train on curved track

Abstract

The vibration caused by underground trains running on a curved track often has a greater impact on residents, buildings, or sensitive instruments than that of a straight track. A formulation including two frequency-domain models for simulating the generation and propagation of train-induced vibrations is presented in this study. Based on an analytical model of a curved track subjected to moving forces, an approach to determine the wheel–rail contact forces and excitation forces acting on the roadbed from the measured dynamic response of the rails is developed. Frequency-domain excitation forces are applied to a periodic finite element–infinite element model to predict ground-borne vibration. In this model, the tunnel structure and soils in the near field are modelled as finite elements, whereas infinite elements are used to simulate wave propagation in the far-field soils. An experiment to measure the vibrations on the rail and ground surface during train passages in the Beijing metro was conducted to validate the proposed formulation. It is shown that high computational efficiency and accuracy in this formulation can be expected in the prediction of ground-borne vibration in a curved tunnel–soil system.