NOISE ABATEMENT ON BRIDGES. FINAL REPORT

In a first report D 105/RP 1 "Noise development in steel railway bridges", the results of noise measurements made on 16 railway bridges were given, the structural design and mode of track-laying of these varying greatly. As shown by the measurements, steel bridges with direct ballast-free track laying produce sound levels in the vicinity of the source up to 19 dB(A) higher than those measured on a reinforced concrete bridge with wooden-sleepered track on ballast bed. The bridges are distinguished from each other according to their subjectively perceived loudness level (ratio 4 : 1). Pending the results of further theoretical and practical investigations for reducing the radiation of noise from steel bridges with direct ballast-free track laying (savings in total construction depth and in costs), the obtained survey should provide the bridge designer with informatory data for avoiding noise annoyance to line-side inhabitants in the neighbourhood of bridge structures in densely populated residential areas. ORE report D 105/RP 2, "Noise measurements on the Rosenheim bridge", contains an analysis of the effect which two variants of laying rails directly on a steel bridge with an orthotropic deck exerted on the excitation of the structure-borne noise of the bridge and the radiation of airborne sound. With a continuously supported rail and with a 15 mm thick Zwp 10 rubber pad as continuous intermediate layer, the level of airborne sound radiated by the bridge increased by about 7 dB(A) in comparison with that radiated by a bridge with the usual discrete rail support. Laying rails on elastic sleepers i.e. rubber between steel plates, did not result in an improvement when compared with the usual discrete rail support. In this final report measured results of four additional bridges have been analyzed, to compare them with the results of the 16 bridges described in report D 105/RP 1. Rails laid directly on a reinforced concrete deck supported by box steel girder (Marne bridge) and the laying of a reinforced concrete deck with neoprene pads on the steel rail bearers of an arched bridge (Lahn bridge) produced noise reductions. The results obtained from measuring the 20 bridges enabled conclusions to be drawn contributing for noise abating designs. Measured results of the DR are also used. The effect of the type of track laying on the radiation of bridge noise is the subject of a theoretical study. There are references to the comprehensive experimental programme which the "Studiengesellschaft fuer Anwendungstechnik von Eisen und Stahl, Dusseldorf" (Society for the study of the technology concerned with the use of iron and steel) will conduct on a 150 m long test bridge at Duisburg to eliminate the drumming noise of steel structures by using sandwich plates and rails supported in such a way that the drumming noise is supressed. Propaqation of noise due to railway traffic on open track and bridges can be reduced by walls, dams, hedges and walls on bridges (ORE report E82/RP 3, April 1969).

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Restrictions on the use of this document are contained in the explanatory material.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  Office of Research and Experiments
  Utrecht,   Netherlands 
• Publication Date: 1971-4

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 28 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Bridges (Ships); Noise; Noise control; Sound level
• Old TRIS Terms: Bridge noise; Noise attenuation; Question d105
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Environment; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00052680
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Union of Railways
• Report/Paper Numbers: D105/RP 3/E
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 4 1976 12:00AM