dynamik

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems

Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems
for Ballastless Track
Some Basic Facts
Status December 2005

dynamik
Dipl.-Ing. Helmut Schmitz
General Manager

Dr.-Ing. Frank Mueller-Boruttau

Managing Director

Calenberg Engineers
Bearings Manufacturer
Salzhemmendorf, Germany

imb-dynamik
Consulting engineers
Inning-Buch, Germany

www.calenberg-ingenieure.de

www.imb-dynamik.de

Calenberg Taiwan Mass spring system.ppt

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

dynamik

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

Contents Overwiew
Definition: What is a mass-spring-system
Definition: Light and heavy mass-spring-systems
Where to use a mass-spring-system
Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
How to lift the concrete components
To stick or not to stick?

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

Definition: What is a mass-spring-system

Definition: Light and heavy mass-spring-systems
Where to use a mass-spring-system
Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
How to lift the concrete components
To stick or not to stick?

Presentation Taiwan 2005

page 3

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Definition: What is a mass-spring-system

A mass-spring-system always consists
of these 3 components:
mass

100 % F dyn

spring
support (rigid, which is best for

vibration insulation, or not rigid)

It works like this:
Due to the elasticity the dynamic

wheel-rail-forces Fdyn are reduced.

The mass absorbs a large portion
of the reduced dynamic forces
The spring transmits only the
remaining force to the support
Lower dynamic forces on the
support means also lower vibration

95 % F dyn

5 % F dyn

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Definition: What is a mass-spring-system

Since there is a mass, resting on a spring, resting on a support, the mass will show an
eigenfrequency. An eigenfrequency is the frequency, the mass-spring-system will
vibrate with, if you hit it with a hammer like this:
Decaying vibration

displacement s(t)

s(t)
exp

time t

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

dynamik

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

Definition: What is a mass-spring-system
Definition: Light and heavy mass-spring-systems
Where to use a mass-spring-system
Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
How to lift the concrete components
To stick or not to stick?

Presentation Taiwan 2005

page 6

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Definition: Light and heavy mass-spring-systems

There are two kinds of mass-spring-systems:

light mass-spring-system
heavy mass-spring-system

Definitions:
For a given spring the eigenfrequency of the mass-spring-system depends on the
mass. The heavier the mass the lower is the eigenfrequency.

Light mass-spring-system have an eigenfrequency of about 12 Hz up to 18 Hz.

Heavy mass-spring-system have an eigenfrequency of about 5 Hz up to 12 Hz.

Presentation Taiwan 2005

page 7

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

dynamik

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

Definition: What is a mass-spring-system
Definition: Light and heavy mass-spring-systems
Where to use a mass-spring-system
Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
How to lift the concrete components
To stick or not to stick?

Presentation Taiwan 2005

page 8

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Where to use a mass-spring-system

A train causes dynamic forces, which in turn causes vibration.
A mass-spring-system can reduce the vibration ot the track and of the surroundings
by a (very) large amount.
Thus the immission acting on the neighborhood is reduced as far as necessary.

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Where to use a mass-spring-system

In detail:

Basically a mass-spring-system
reduces the vibration of the track
reduces the vibration that enters the supporting structure
thus reduces the vibration that is transmitted through the ground
thus reduces the vibration to neighboring buildings
thus reduces the vibration acting on

man

buildings

technical installations

Since the vibration of the building is reduced, the noise coming from the

vibrating floors, walls and ceilings is also reduced

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Where to use a mass-spring-system

A mass-spring-system is used for a new track if some of the following conditions are
true:
Trains will have wheels with imperfections like out-of-round wheels, wheel flats,

corrugation etc. There is no such thing as a perfect wheel. At least not after
some operation time.
The track will not always be as perfect as it has been built, but will have defects

of the rail head as well as the other components of the track. There is no such
thing as a perfect track...

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Where to use a mass-spring-system

There is

a neighborhood - buildings close to the track -

that must be protected

according to local codes and standards

against vibration and noise, caused by this vibration. (This noise can be
caused by the supporting structure (bridge, elevated track) or by the floor,
walls and ceiling of rooms, where people are present.)

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Where to use a mass-spring-system

Usually mass-spring-systems are used to achieve a high reduction of the

immissions.
A heavy mass-spring-system is even more efficient than a light mass-spring-

system. A heavy mass-spring-system has the highest protection efficiency.

If many buildings that must be protected do have wooden floors, a heavy mass-

spring-system must be used.

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

Definition: What is a mass-spring-system
Definition: Light and heavy mass-spring-systems
Where to use a mass-spring-system
Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
How to lift the concrete components
To stick or not to stick?

Presentation Taiwan 2005

page 14

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
Light mass-spring-systems, sketch 1 cross section

mass
spring
support

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
Light mass-spring-systems, sketch 2 ground plan

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
Light mass-spring-systems
The concrete slab thickness is at least 0.2 m and will not exceed about 0.35 m.
The width is about 2.7 m
The length of a concrete slab varies: it might be about 6 m, or even continuous.

However a section length of about 10 to 15 m should be avoided due to

disadvantegous slab eigenfrequencies.
Theelastic layer is usually covering the whole footprint of the slabs.
The elastic layer stiffness is selected appropriately to the eigenfrequency the

mass-spring-system shall have.

(Light mass-spring-system have an eigenfrequency of about 12 Hz up to 18 Hz.)
The elastic layer should have the optimal

amount of damping:

to reduce the slab vibrations

as well as
supplying the necessary insertion loss for the higher frequencies

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
Heavy mass-spring-systems, sketch 1 cross section

mass
spring
support

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
Heavy mass-spring-systems, sketch 2 ground plan strip bearings

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
Heavy mass-spring-systems, sketch 3 ground plan round discrete bearings

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
Keep in mind: the slabs must be restricted in such a way that the longitudinal and
transverse forces can be borne. Use camplates or other horizontal bearings.

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

dynamik

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

Definition: What is a mass-spring-system
Definition: Light and heavy mass-spring-systems
Where to use a mass-spring-system
Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
How to lift the concrete components
To stick or not to stick?

Presentation Taiwan 2005

page 22

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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How to lift the concrete components

You will use the lifting method in combination with discrete bearings preferably.
Now how to lift the slabs?
It depends:
It is very easy if the longitudinal sides are free. Then you can lift it with jacks that

can be applied from the sides.

If the sides are NOT freely accessible:
You must install some manholes for example like this:

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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How to lift the concrete components

The manholes must be shaped such that you can
lift the structure with mechanically or hydraulically acting jacks

and
insert the bearings simultaneously
Or: you can lift the slabs with jacks applied at the longitudinal sides. You must have
holes shaped appropriately such that the jacks can be inserted and the slab can be
lifted with the slabs.

Presentation Taiwan 2005

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Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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How to lift the concrete components

The manholes must be shaped such that you can
lift the structure with mechanically or hydraulically acting jacks

and
insert the bearings simultaneously
Or: you can lift the slabs with jacks applied at the longitudinal sides. You must have
holes shaped appropriately such that the jacks can be inserted and the slab can be
lifted with the slabs.

Presentation Taiwan 2005

page 25

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

dynamik

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

Definition: What is a mass-spring-system
Definition: Light and heavy mass-spring-systems
Where to use a mass-spring-system
Dimensioning mass-spring-systems
How to lift the concrete components
To stick or not to stick?

Presentation Taiwan 2005

page 26

Vibration Isolation in Railway Systems Light and Heavy Mass-Spring-Systems

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To stick or not to stick?

If you require that the elements must be replaceable, you can NOT stick the

elements to either the support or the slab.

If a replaceability is not required there is no need to stick the elements either to

support or slab: the rubber surface of top and bottom side of the bearings
tolerate a certain roughness of the concrete surfaces. If the roughness exceeds
the acceptable limit some viscoplastic sheets are used to smooth the surfaces.
Thus it is inhibited that the rough concrete surfaces damage the rubber surfaces.
Usually the horizontal forces are borne by special stop units. Thus only

neglectable horizontal forces are acting upon the bearings.

Thus it follows: you will not stick (glue, cement) the bearings to the concrete.
Only exception: You use precast concrete troughs or precast slabs (for example

on an elevated track), where you will pour the in situ concrete later. Then you
might want to stick the bearings to the concrete floor. Thus they can not be
misplaced accidentally.
Presentation Taiwan 2005

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dynamik

This presentation was prepared by

dynamik
Dipl.-Ing. Helmut Schmitz
Managing Director

Dr.-Ing. Frank Mueller-Boruttau

Managing Director

Calenberg Engineers
Bearings Manufacturer
Salzhemmendorf, Germany

imb-dynamik
Consulting engineers
Inning-Buch, Germany

www.calenberg-ingenieure.de

www.imb-dynamik.de

For further information please contact the authors

State December 2005
Calenberg Taiwan Mass spring system.ppt