Complex structured polymer concrete sleeper for rolling noise reduction of high-speed train system

Damping performance of complex polymer concrete sleeper for high-speed trains was identified after considering the radiation characteristics of rolling noise. Actual size complex concrete sleepers were fabricated to compare the damping characteristics. The wave type polymer concrete structure was embedded into the cement concrete sleeper. The measured dynamic properties of the complex concrete sleeper were compared with those of the cement concrete sleeper. The effects on improved damping performance due to the periodic polymer structure were investigated. The averaged dynamic properties of the sleepers were used to prediction of the rolling noise generation. A running train on the rail track was assumed as the moving load on the infinite Timoshenko beam. The relationship between the loss factor of the supporting stiffness and the rail vibration was analyzed. The radiated sound pressure from the rail vibration was predicted for the running train. Using complexed structured concrete sleeper, the radiation of the rolling noise was reduced effectively. This investigation on the concrete sleeper embedded with wave-type polymer concrete contributes to the study of complex railway structures to secure quite residential space with minimal influence from running trains.