Experimental evaluation of the efficiency of trenches for the mitigation of train-induced vibrations

In this work, the efficiency of absorbing barriers for the mitigation of ground vibrations induced by railway traffic has been evaluated by means of two different experimental campaigns conducted in situ, along the newly-built, high-speed railway line that connects the Italian cities of Milan and Bologna. In the first stage of testing, a series of ideal barriers created from unsupported empty trenches were tested to assess the effects of barrier depth on their efficiency in reducing vertical ground accelerations. The second stage of testing was performed to investigate the efficiency of a full-scale prototype barrier, made of a 2-meter-deep trench supported by two precast reinforced concrete plates connected by steel bars, during transit of an ETR 500 train at a speed of 120 km/h.