Vibration transmission mechanism of trapezoidal sleeper track based on force hammer test

Trapezoidal sleeper track is widely used for vibration reduction in urban rail transit, and understanding its vibration transmission through actual measurement is of great engineering significance. A full-scale test model of the trapezoidal sleeper was excited using a force hammer to obtain acceleration data. The vibration transmission mechanism in the vertical direction was analyzed in the time and frequency domains. Results show that under the force hammer pulse load, rail vibration attenuation is the shortest, while ground vibration lasts the longest. The main frequency of the vibration energy spectrum of each track structure of the trapezoidal sleeper is forward of that of the ordinary track slab. In the frequency range of 1–1000 Hz, except for the frequency range of 12.5–20 Hz, the frequency-divided vibration level of the ground vibration acceleration of the trapezoidal sleeper is smaller than that of the ordinary track slab in the rest of the frequency range. The vibration damping pad significantly reduces vibration transmission from the track slab to the ground.