Theoretical treatment of ground vibrations from high speed railways (original) (raw)

The increased speeds of modern trains are normally accompanied by increased levels of generated ground vibrations that are especially high when train speeds approach two critical wave velocities in a track-ground system: the velocity of Rayleigh surface wave in the ground and the minimal phase velocity of bending waves propagating in a track supported by ballast, the latter velocity being often referred to as track critical velocity. Both these velocities can be overcome by modern high-speed trains, especially in the case of very soft soil where both critical velocities become very low. As has been earlier predicted by the present author ,