Analysis of the vibration alleviation of a new railway sub-ballast layer with waste tyre rubber

[EN] This paper focuses on the assessment of the vibration behaviour of granular sub-ballast materials mixed with rubber particles from scrap tyres. The main objective is to evaluate whether these mixes attenuate vibrations caused by passing trains, and if so, to what extent. Several laboratory and field tests were carried out to monitor the response of such materials to various excitation sources. The results show that under controlled laboratory conditions, the addition of rubber (up to 5% by weight) greatly increases the damping ratio and reduces vibration. Field tests also show that higher percentages of rubber yield a significant alleviation of vibration caused by repetitive and harmonic loads that are similar to those produced by passing trains. An addition of 5% by weight yields a reduction of 50% in the mean acceleration peak at one metre from the excitation source. The anisotropy of the mix is another key factor when evaluating the vibration behaviour of these mixes.The authors wish to thank GUEROLA for providing the soil samples from its quarry, EMRO for providing the rubber particles, and Ángel Morilla Rubio, Manolo Medel Perallo´n, and Esther Medel Colmenar for their help during field tests.Hidalgo Signes, C.; Martínez Fernández, P.; Medel Perallon, E.; Insa Franco, R. (2017). Analysis of the vibration alleviation of a new railway sub-ballast layer with waste tyre rubber. Materials and Structures. 50(2):1-13. doi:10.1617/s11527-016-0951-0113502Yoon S, Prezzi M, Zia Siddiki N, Kim B (2005) Construction of a test embankment using a sand–tire shred mixture as fill material. Waste Manag 26:1033–1044Nakhaei A, Marandi SM, Sani Kermani S, Bagheripour MH (2012) Dynamic properties of granular soils mixed with granulated rubber. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 43:124–132Buonanno A, Mele R (2012) The use of bituminous mix sub-ballast in the Italian state railways. 2nd eurasphalt and eurobitume congress, Barcelona, 20–22 September 2000Di Mino G, Di Liberto M, Maggiore C, Noto S (2012) A dynamic model of ballasted rail track with bituminous sub-ballast layer. Proced Soc Behav Sci 53:366–378Hidalgo C, Martínez P, Medel E, Insa R (2015) Characterisation of an unbound granular mixture with waste tyre rubber for subballast layers. Mater Struct 48:3847–3861. doi: 10.1617/s11527-014-0443-zThompson DJ (2009) Railway noise and vibration: mechanisms, modelling and means of control. Elsevier, OxfordAuersch L (2005) The excitation of ground vibration by rail traffic: theory of vehicle-track-soil interaction and measurements on high-speed lines. J Sound Vib 284(1):103–132Di Mino G, Di Liberto M (2007) Modelling and experimental survey on ground borne vibration induced by rail traffic. 4th international SIIV congress, 12–14 September, PalermoAlves P, Calçada R, Silva A (2012) Ballast mats for the reduction of railway traffic vibrations. Numerical study. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 42:137–150Karlström A, Boström A (2007) Efficiency of trenches along railways for trains moving at sub- or supersonic speeds. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 27:625–641Wolfe S, Humphrey D, Wetzel E (2004) Development of tire shred underlayment to reduce ground-borne vibration from LRT track. Geotechnical engineering for transportation projects. Proceedings of geotrans, vol 126. pp 750–759ASTM (2002) C215:2002. Standard test method for fundamental transverse, longitudinal, and torsional resonant frequencies of concrete specimensGuimond-Barrett A, Nauleau E, Le Kouby A, Pantet A, Reiffsteck P, Martineau F (2013) Free–free resonance testing of in situ deep mixed soils. Geotech Test J 36(2):1–9. doi: 10.1520/GTJ20120058Spanish Ministry of Public Works (2006) Pliego de Prescripciones Técnicas Generales de Materiales Ferroviarios PF-7: Subbalasto (general technical specifications for railway materials PF-7: subballast). Boletín Oficial del Estado 103:16891–16909ADIF (2008) Pliego de Prescripciones Técnicas Tipo para los Proyectos de Plataforma PGP-2008 (techical specifications for railway platform projects PGP-2008)Singh B, Vinot V (2011) Influence of waste tire chips on strength characteristics of soils. J Civ Eng Archit 5(9):819–827Martínez P, Villalba I, Botello F, Insa R (2013) Monitoring and analysis of vibration transmission for various track typologies. A case study. Transp Res Part D 24:98–109Wolfram Research Inc (2008) Mathematica [software], version 7.0, ChampaignISO (2003) Mechanical vibration and shock. Evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration. Part 2: vibration in buildings (1–80 Hz)Feng ZY, Sutter KG (2000) Dynamic properties of granulated rubber/sand mixtures. Geotech Test J 23(3):338–344AENOR (1994) UNE EN 29052-1:89. Acoustics—determination of the dynamic stiffness. Part 1: materials used under floating floors in dwelling