Effectiveness of Ballast Mats in Reducing Ground-borne Vibration Generated by Passing Trains

In built-up areas of major cities Commuter trains and Light Rail Transit vehicles already pass close to numerous residences and other sensitive structures and land uses. When new tracks are needed to accommodate increasing ridership transit authorities have no other alternative but to build new tracks on their right of way. Under those circumstances the new train tracks may be moved as close as approximately 30 feet of existing homes; as a result of this proximity, the ground vibration problems at the adjacent homes become more acute. The close proximity of these homes to the train tracks and the need to mitigate the adverse effects of ground vibration often require implementation of special track support design that would provide reduction in ground-borne vibration. This special track support system can ensure that train-generated ground vibration levels will be acceptable to residents of the adjoining community. Vibration control measures could, alternatively, be directed at the source of vibration, along the propagation path or at the receiver. This paper reports on the use of source treatment which involves installation of special track support system in the form of a resilient ballast mat between the rail and the ties and the ground surface.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/7p
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper and full conference proceedings are available on CD-ROM but the paper was not presented at the conference.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Balachandran, Chetlur G
• Conference:
  • Rail Transit Conference, 2005
  • Location: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
  • Date: 2005-6-5 to 2005-6-8
• Publication Date: 2005

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 4p
• Monograph Title: Rail Transit Conference Proceedings, 2005

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ballast mats; Commuter service; Households; Light rail transit; Noise control; Passing; Railroad ties; Ridership; Train track dynamics; Vibration; Vibration control
• Subject Areas: Passenger Transportation; Railroads; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01002150
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 1931594155
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 20 2005 2:16PM