Improvement of the noise Technical Specifications for Interoperability: The input of the NOEMIE project

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Abstract

The Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) are the technical application documents of both European Directives 96/48/EC (high-speed, HS) and 2001/16/EC (conventional rail, CR). In that respect, noise emission levels of the railway system are considered to be a basic parameter for the acceptance of the rolling stock subsystem.

The rolling noise, caused by the combination of wheel and rail roughness, is considered to be the main noise generation mechanism involved at both conventional and high speeds. Moreover, the track influence is such that the noise emission limit values cannot easily be set up without a tight definition of a reference track, allowing the noise values to be consistent and reproducible on several test sites. Such track conditions imposed by acceptance tests for rolling stock interoperability are described.

In that respect, the NOise Emission Measurements for high speed Interoperability in Europe (NOEMIE) test campaign was launched to provide trackside noise emission values of several high-speed trains at speeds up to 320 km/h. Several existing tracks were realised therefore in five European countries and compared with the reference-track definitions.

A new measurement method, based on rail roughness and track vibration response has been developed, leading to an improved common reference-track definition, called TSI+, for both the HS and CR TSI.

Introduction

Railway environmental noise control has recently experienced major developments induced by both technical advances and regulatory demands at European level following ambitious environmental policy goals.

From a technical point of view, the behaviour of the interface between the track and the rolling stock has a major influence on the noise emission value. The main generation mechanism involved at both conventional and high speeds being the rolling noise excitation, is caused by the combination of wheel and rail roughness. The respective noise contribution of both the rolling stock and the track components needs to be established, this latter contribution being considered significant for current commercial speeds up to 300 km/h. Moreover, the track influence is such that the noise emission limit values for vehicles cannot easily be specified without a tight reference-track definition, allowing the emission values to be consistent and reproducible on several test sites.

Section snippets

TSI: the requirements for noise emission

From a noise emission policy approach, the conditions imposed by the interoperability directive for rolling stock acceptance tests—type testing to be performed to get the EC label allowing to put into service on the Trans European Network (TEN)—are described within the railway Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI).

The TSI, which all new rolling stock operated on the TEN have to comply with, impose noise emission limits for railway vehicles. Compliance with these noise emission

The main objectives

In the scope of the revision process of the HS-TSI, the NOise Emission Measurements for high speed Interoperability in Europe (NOEMIE project) was launched in order:

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    to provide a common database of comparable and reproducible noise emission values of high-speed trains in Europe;

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    to contribute to the specification of a reference track to be used in noise emission type testing, which would be part of an operational line rather than a dedicated laboratory test track;

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    to propose and validate a common

Check of the reproducibility of the noise emission in the case of two tracks with soft pads

Following phase 1, complementary studies were performed in the scope of the NOEMIE test campaign, in order to assess the influence of pad stiffness on the trackside pass-by noise emission.

In that respect, a regular “soft” padded track section in Solpke (Germany), adjacent to the NOEMIE German “stiff” reference track, was prepared as reference track as well. That is, with the exception of the rail pads both track sections are identical (ballasted track, monobloc sleepers, UIC60 rail, rail

The existing TSI and ATSI limits definition

During the NOEMIE project advantages and drawbacks of both ATSI and TSI parameters could be assessed under comparable test conditions, vs. noise results. In that respect, testing the ATSI track specification showed that

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    the initially proposed ATSI rail roughness spectrum amplitude limits were not realistically achievable on operational high-speed lines;

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    the TDR criteria could be tightened to create a test, that is less dependant on variations of the track design, and ensuring, that the wheel

Conclusion

In the scope of railway interoperability, the noise emission values of high-speed trains were assessed within the NOEMIE project (phase 1), showing that the present TSI limits are difficult to achieve with existing rolling stock.

In that respect, specific measurement methods were used to assess the track characteristics, in both the HS and CR domains, and proposed as an appendix to the CR TSI document. New improvements were developed therefore, so a common reference-track definition for the

Acknowledgements

The NOEMIE project has received funding from the EC. This paper reflects the opinion of its authors only: therefore, neither the EC nor AEIF are liable for any use of the information contained therein.

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