Field Measurement and Research on Environmental Vibration due to Subway Systems: A Case Study in Eastern China

Rui Xu, Xunchang Li, Wei Yang, Minou Rabiei, Chenglong Yan and Songtao Xue
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Rui Xu: School of Geology Engineering and Geomatics, Chang’an University, Xian 710054, China
Xunchang Li: School of Geology Engineering and Geomatics, Chang’an University, Xian 710054, China
Wei Yang: School of Geology Engineering and Geomatics, Chang’an University, Xian 710054, China
Minou Rabiei: Petroleum Engineering Department, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202-6116, USA
Chenglong Yan: School of Geology Engineering and Geomatics, Chang’an University, Xian 710054, China
Songtao Xue: Research Institute of Structural Engineering and Disaster Reduction, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: With the rapid development of subway systems, the negative environmental impacts of vibration induced by subways has gradually become a research hotspot. For the purpose of developing predictive models of vibration and designing effective vibration mitigation systems, continuous field dynamic measurements were conducted simultaneously in a subway tunnel, ground, and building in eastern China, the most prosperous region in China. The characteristics of vibration transmission and attenuation induced by subway were analyzed by statistical analysis of large amounts of measurement data. The results showed that most prominent and visible attenuation of vibration is from the track to the ballast bed in the tunnel, where the ground-borne vibration would quickly decrease exponentially with distance. The results also showed that the measured attenuation value of indoor vibration was approximate 0.76 dB on average between each floor. Moreover, the decay ratio of the vibration increased with the increase in the frequency range. Based on these findings, construction gauge of 20–25 m outside of the tunnel is recommended. In addition, reducing the vibration source excitation intensity is the most effective vibration isolation method, especially by track structural transformation.

Keywords: subway; vibration transmission; vibration attenuation; ground-borne vibration; vibration isolation design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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