Research project: The Influence of Baseplate Fastening Systems on Railway Rolling Noise
The purpose is to optimise the design of railway track baseplates to minimise noise radiation from the track as well as the transmission of ground vibration.
Project Overview
The rails in railway track are connected to the underlying structure by baseplates. Especially for slab track designs these have an important role in introducing resilience to the track and minimising vibration transmission to the structure and the ground. However, soft resilient baseplates can lead to higher airborne noise radiation in some situations.
The project investigates the vibration and noise behaviour of track fitted with resilient baseplates. The purpose is to optimise the design of baseplates to minimise noise radiation as well as ground vibration transmission. Dynamic stiffness measurements have been taken of rail pads and baseplate assemblies using an indirect method according to ISO 10846-3. The vibration of railway track is then modelled using a combination of finite element and receptance coupling methods. Field measurements have been made of track decay rate to validate the models. Modelling and measurement of the acoustic radiation from the baseplates is also included.
