Field experiment of subgrade vibration induced by passing train in a seasonally frozen region of Daqing

The vibration characteristics and attenuation of the subgrade caused by passing trains in a seasonally frozen region of Daqing, China are investigated. Three field experiments were conducted during different times through the year, in normal, freezing and thawing periods, respectively, and the influence of the season, train speed and train type, is described in this paper. The results show that: (1) the vertical component is the greatest among the three components of the measured vibration near the rail track, and as the distance to the railway track increases, the dominant vibration depends on the season. (2) Compared with the vibration in the normal period, the vertical and longitudinal vibrations increase while the lateral vibration decreases in the freezing period. However, in the thawing period, the vertical and longitudinal vibrations decrease, and the lateral vibration increases. (3) As train speeds increase, the subgrade vibration increases. (4) The vibration induced by a freight train is greater than by a passenger train. These observations provide a better understanding of the vibration and dynamic stability of the subgrade and may be useful in developing criteria for railway and building construction in cold regions.