Analyses of the ground borne vibration induced by high-speed trains in finite element models

The environmental effects of noise and vibration caused by high speed trains, in recent years, have received considerable attention, due to the damaging effects they can cause to buildings and annoyance they can cause to people. The problem has become more significant with the increase of speed and weight of railway trains, which imposes heavier loads on the tracks. Recent methods of simulation offers new possibilities for analyzing the ground borne vibration propagation phenomenon. With a better understanding of the problem, it is possible to predict vibration levels and reduce the problem associated with these types of vibration. The transmission of ground vibration from a moving train to the surroundings is a complex problem depending on a great number of factor. In the paper, after a review of principles of vibration theory, we analyze and simulate this problem through a finite element model considering the eventual presence in the ground of a discontinuity factor (trench and/or barrier).