Ground Vibrations Due to Moving Load in the Proposed Subway Tunnel Near Kamalapur

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line 1 is planned for the eastern part of Dhaka city connecting the capital’s International Airport Terminal at Kurmitola with the Main Train Station Terminal at Kamalapur. This line also has a second branch from Future Park to Purbachal. While a significant portion of the proposed MRT Line 1 will be above ground, three significant portions will be underground: (i) Khilkhet to Bhatara (ii) Bhatara to Bashundhara (iii) Mailbag to Kamalapur. Subway tunnel construction for metro rail involves many unique geotechnical design considerations such as the effects of fast-moving trains in an underground tunnel on adjacent property. The resulting vibrations can be the subject of legal complaints by owners of buildings in the immediate vicinity. The primary objective of this paper is to perform a numerical study to have an impression of the ground vibrations generated in the surrounding soils due to moving loads in an underground tunnel near the Kamalapur Railway Station. A numerical model is created using the finite element software PLAXIS 3D for moving load on rails in an embedded tunnel in an idealized soil profile. Numerical analysis is performed for a two-wagon train running on an underground tunnel at various depths.