Railway Noise and Vibrations

Sound and vibrations abatement as active contribution of railway companies to environmental protection

Scope

All over Europe there are strong political objectives to support and expand rail traffic, since in comparison to other means of transport the environmental impact of railways is small. Nevertheless, also rail traffic causes substantial noise and vibrations emissions which can have a significant impact on people living close to railway lines.

Our Experience:

EU-study EURAILNOISE (2001): Development of strategies for railway noise abatement
EU R&D-project STAIRRS (2000-2003): Development of a land register for railway noise including a cost-benefit model, improvement of rail-noise measurement methods.
Austrian R&D-project LEO (2000-2003): This project substantially contributes to the inves­tigation and development of a low-noise and low-vibration track system.
Railway test track PATERNION (2000): Evaluation of the noise emission properties of 3 dif­ferent track systems
EU-R&D-project METARAIL (1997-1999): Measurement methods for rail traffic
Construction based noise and sound protection (1995): The effectiveness of two barriers along the Donaulände railway.

Our services:

A main focus of psiA-Consult is the acquisition and evaluation of rail traffic noise. This enables an improved protection of people living along rail tracks but also serves to enhance the convenience of the rail traveller. The area of rail noise abatement includes not only the reduction of too loud and irritating noises but also the measuring and evaluation of vibrations due to rail traffic.

Our services include the measuring and evaluation of noise emissions from rail vehicles according to:

ÖNORM S 5026
Schienenfahrzeuglärmzuläßigkeitsverordnung (SchLV, BGBl.414/93) (Directive on noise emissions by rail vehicles)
pr EN ISO 3095
Technical Specification for Interoperability (TSI, Dir.2002/735 EC)
STAIRRS-Measurement Protocol