Railway rolling noise mitigation through optimal track design

Abstract

[EN] The main goal of the present work lies in the identification of the railway track properties that influence acoustic radiation, as well as in the analysis of these properties for the reduction of sound levels. This is achieved through a dynamic model of the railway wheel and track that allows the study of rolling noise, produced as a result of the wheel/rail interaction. Once the vibrational response of the railway components is determined, the sound power radiated by them is evaluated. The influence of the track properties on the sound radiation is determined by analysing the acoustic power results of different track configurations. From the results obtained, a number of guidelines are presented for noise mitigation of the involved railway elements. Between the worst and the best track design, there are differences of approximately 7.4 dB(A) in the radiation considering the wheel, rail and sleeper noise.