Experimental Study on Vibration and Building Response Induced by Rail Corrugation in Metro Small-Radius Curves

The vibrations induced by urban rail transit are exerting an increasingly prominent influence on the surrounding buildings and human health. As a prevalent track defect, rail corrugation can exacerbate the vibrations generated during train operation. In this study, on-site measurements were carried out to investigate the characteristics of rail corrugation in the small-radius curve segments of subways. The differences in rail corrugation with and without vibration mitigation measures were analyzed. Additionally, the vibration responses of adjacent buildings in the steel spring floating slab track segments with rail corrugation were examined. The findings of this study indicate that in the small-radius curve segments of the steel spring floating slab track, there exists a rail corrugation phenomenon with a wavelength of 200 mm. This leads to inadequate vibration attenuation in the 80 Hz frequency band, allowing some vibration energy to still be transmitted to adjacent buildings. Nevertheless, the vibration responses of buildings are predominantly governed by their own structural vibration modes.