A study on the ground loss and foundation coupling loss for railway vibration prediction in greater Perth area of Western Australia

Railway noise and vibration have emerged as significant concerns affecting the well-being of residents living in proximity to railway tracks and the structural integrity of nearby infrastructure. As such, accurate and reliable predictions of railway vibration levels are necessary in order to properly assess the risks and develop effective mitigations. The propagation of railway vibration from the source to the receiving point involves a complex process, wherein ground loss and foundation coupling loss play crucial roles. Therefore, comprehensive capture of these factors is necessary for improving the accuracy of railway vibration prediction. This paper presents a study focused on the measurements of ground damping loss and foundation coupling loss in great Perth area of Western Australia. The measurements have been undertaken in generally sandy soil conditions. The foundation coupling loss was primarily measured at single-storey residential dwellings. The collected field data were subsequently analyzed to identify the characteristics of ground loss and foundation coupling loss. The study revealed that ground loss and foundation coupling loss exhibited variability dependent on the specific location, ground conditions, and structural characteristics of the dwellings. These measured results can serve as input for modeling efforts, thereby enabling more accurate prediction of railway vibration levels. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights into the characterization of vibration propagation in sandy soils.