A transferable method for estimating the economic impacts of track interventions: application to ground-borne noise reduction measures for whole sections of route
A transferable method for estimating the economic impacts of track interventions: application to ground-borne noise reduction measures for whole sections of route
The environmental impacts of noise and vibration are becoming increasingly important in the assessment of new and upgraded railway routes. Vibration from railways propagates through the ground to nearby buildings where it may cause annoyance as feelable vibration or as re-radiated noise. To tackle the adverse effects of ground-borne noise a range of possible interventions are available, including softer rail pads, under-sleeper pads and under-ballast mats. The installation costs of such interventions are generally higher for the higher-performing track types. Additionally, there are potential effects on track maintenance costs which may be positive or negative, for example by reducing sleeper damage or increasing the need for ballast tamping. This study presents a socio-economic analysis of the effects of several interventions to reduce ground-borne noise. By selecting a whole route, the installation and whole-life costs are assessed using Network Rail’s Vehicle-Track Interaction Strategic Model (VTISM) and these are offset against benefits in terms of reduced social costs. Ground-borne noise is predicted at various distances from the alignment using the Modelling of Train Induced Vibration (MOTIV) model and the effect of track interventions is determined as insertion loss spectra. The re-radiated noise within a typical domestic building is then estimated using generic building transfer functions. Geographic Information System tools are used to estimate the population affected by ground-borne noise and their expected level of exposure. The methodology is illustrated using a case study route between Brighton and Portsmouth in the South of England.
elastic elements, gis, ground-borne noise, life cycle costing, rail track, rail pads, railway, under-ballast mats, under-sleeper pads
Young, Marcus
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Rempelos, Georgios
c58f755e-d094-489b-9716-0a8fb061ce8a
Ntotsios, Evangelos
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Blainey, Simon
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Thompson, David
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Preston, Jonathan
ef81c42e-c896-4768-92d1-052662037f0b
Young, Marcus
b7679822-1e61-47d0-b7bf-3e33a12fa8fe
Rempelos, Georgios
c58f755e-d094-489b-9716-0a8fb061ce8a
Ntotsios, Evangelos
877c3350-0497-4471-aa97-c101df72e05e
Blainey, Simon
ee6198e5-1f89-4f9b-be8e-52cc10e8b3bb
Thompson, David
bca37fd3-d692-4779-b663-5916b01edae5
Preston, Jonathan
ef81c42e-c896-4768-92d1-052662037f0b
Young, Marcus, Rempelos, Georgios, Ntotsios, Evangelos, Blainey, Simon, Thompson, David and Preston, Jonathan
(2020)
A transferable method for estimating the economic impacts of track interventions: application to ground-borne noise reduction measures for whole sections of route.
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit.
(doi:10.1177/0954409720953730).
Abstract
The environmental impacts of noise and vibration are becoming increasingly important in the assessment of new and upgraded railway routes. Vibration from railways propagates through the ground to nearby buildings where it may cause annoyance as feelable vibration or as re-radiated noise. To tackle the adverse effects of ground-borne noise a range of possible interventions are available, including softer rail pads, under-sleeper pads and under-ballast mats. The installation costs of such interventions are generally higher for the higher-performing track types. Additionally, there are potential effects on track maintenance costs which may be positive or negative, for example by reducing sleeper damage or increasing the need for ballast tamping. This study presents a socio-economic analysis of the effects of several interventions to reduce ground-borne noise. By selecting a whole route, the installation and whole-life costs are assessed using Network Rail’s Vehicle-Track Interaction Strategic Model (VTISM) and these are offset against benefits in terms of reduced social costs. Ground-borne noise is predicted at various distances from the alignment using the Modelling of Train Induced Vibration (MOTIV) model and the effect of track interventions is determined as insertion loss spectra. The re-radiated noise within a typical domestic building is then estimated using generic building transfer functions. Geographic Information System tools are used to estimate the population affected by ground-borne noise and their expected level of exposure. The methodology is illustrated using a case study route between Brighton and Portsmouth in the South of England.
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Submitted date: 15 April 2020
Accepted/In Press date: 6 August 2020
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 August 2020
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Publisher Copyright:
© IMechE 2020.
Keywords:
elastic elements, gis, ground-borne noise, life cycle costing, rail track, rail pads, railway, under-ballast mats, under-sleeper pads
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 443083
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/443083
ISSN: 0954-4097
PURE UUID: eb365284-037c-4dce-a325-cdbe25e015c9
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Date deposited: 10 Aug 2020 16:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:53
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Author:
Georgios Rempelos
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