Assessment of the noise impact of rolling stock on the residential area

The article shows the relevance of the problem of noise pollution of the environment by railway transport. The purpose of the research is to assess by calculation and instrumental methods the compliance of the existing noise levels in the residential area near the railway tracks with sanitary standards, to propose a set of noise protection measures and to substantiate their acoustic efficiency. The applied methods for measuring and calculating the equivalent and maximum noise levels of the rolling stock comply with the requirements of regulatory documents. The authors took into account the features of the propagation and shielding of sound waves in the existing residential area, background noise, and the traffic intensity of trains of various categories. The results of measurements, calculations and estimates of the noise generated by the rolling stock in the residential area in Omsk are presented. A significant excess of the maximum permissible equivalent and maximum noise levels in residential areas has been established. Comparison of the calculated and measured noise values, taking into account the standard uncertainty of the calculation methods and the expanded measurement uncertainty, showed quite satisfactory convergence of the results obtained and confirmed a significant excess of the sanitary noise standards. A set of measures is proposed to reduce the noise of railway rolling stock at the source of its occurrence and on the path of its propagation in the existing residential area. The dimensions of the embankments of the two sections of the railway tracks allow the installation of screens of low height up to 38 cm, the geometry of which is designed so that, in terms of reflection of the noise emitted by the rolling stock, they are at least equivalent to a standard noise protection wall 2 m high. For the track section located in the recess, it is proposed to install a noise barrier 6 m high and at least 1 km long. Its acoustic efficiency was calculated.