Wave effects in a realistic tunnel induced by the passage of high-speed trains

As a high-speed train passes through a tunnel, aerodynamic pressure waves propagate backwards and forward in the tunnel, and they persist for a long time after the train is gone. Understanding the aerodynamic characteristics influenced by various factors on a tunnel is essential for ensuring the safety of tunnel structures. Field measurements were conducted in a 2812 m-long tunnel to systematically investigate the pressure characteristics during the passage of CRH2-150C and CRH380AL high-speed trains through the tunnel, both in single-train and intersecting cases. The results reveal that as the train speed increases, the location of the maximum peak-to-peak pressure variation shifts toward the tunnel entrance, mainly driven by the change in the negative pressure peak. The train length induces significant differences in peak pressures on the tunnel wall in the middle of the tunnel, and a long train brings more massive subsequent pressure waves than a short train in the post-train stage, but they decay faster. The intersection of two trains in the tunnel not only causes a significant change in the peak pressure and its location, but also has a significant effect on damage factor (the damage level on a structure subjected to a specific load) after train leaving the tunnel, with a 65.3% of this factor during trains operating in the tunnel