Comparison of Vibration Amplitude in Isfahan Subway Due to Track Structure- An Experimental Study

Increasing the stability of structures and reducing the maintenance cost of slab track superstructures compared to ballasted tracks are among the reasons for the tendency to use this category of superstructures in the railway industry. Vibration reduction methods can be divided into three categories, source, propagation path, and receiver. In general, the slab track structures in Iran are divided into three categories: direct fixation track (DFT), floating slab track (FST), and high resilient fastener (HRF). Although railway tracks are a safe, economical and fast transportation system and can lead to the strengthening of the tourism industry, in the long term, vibrations can damage many historical structures in the city of Isfahan. FST and HRF systems are used in the structure of Isfahan subway track. In this paper, the accelerations (longitudinal, lateral, and vertical) of the Isfahan subway vehicle were measured in 30 stations (15 go stations and 15 return stations). The results showed that the HRF system compared to the FST has a significant effect in reducing the range of vibrations and ultimately the safety of the train and the ride comfort. For example, in the area between Si-O-Se-Pol and Imam Hossein Square, due to the track structure type (HRF), the maximum acceleration and RMS acceleration are in the range of 1.5 and 0.3 m/s2, respectively, while in other stations these values were extracted up to 4 and 0.7 m/s2, respectively.