High Speed Train

Many applications give rise to nonlinear eigenvalue problems with an underlying structured matrix polynomial. In this paper several useful classes of structured polynomials (e.g., palindromic, even, odd) are identified and the relationships between them explored. A special class of linearizations which reflect the structure of these polynomials, and therefore preserve symmetries in their spectra, is introduced and investigated. We analyze the existence and uniqueness of such linearizations and show how they may be systematically constructed.

With the advent of high-speed trains, there is a renewed interest in the rail track-vehicle interaction studies. As part of an ongoing investigation of the track system optimisation and fatigue of the track components, a dynamic model is developed to examine the vertical interaction of the rail track and the wagon system. Wagon with four wheelsets representing two bogies is modelled as a 10 degree of freedom subsystem, the track is modelled as a four-layer subsystem and the two subsystems are coupled together via the non-linear Hertz contact mechanism. The current model is validated using several field test data and other numerical models reported in the literature by other researchers. Ó

The development of High Speed Rail (HSR) in Europe has been encouraged, and financially supported, by the European Commission. HSR technology is presented as a solution to congested roads and airports and as an efficient response for incremental demand in the coming years. However, the case for an HSR investment project is highly dependent on the existing volume of demand in the affected corridor. Using real construction, maintenance, and rolling stock costs of the European HSR lines in operation, potential time savings, standard values of time and expected demand growth, we estimate the minimum level of demand required from which investment in HSR could be considered profitable from a social perspective. Other benefits, such as providing long-term capacity where overcrowding is expected, could reduce the minimum demand thresholds reported in this paper. © 2007 LSE and the University of Bath

This paper is concerned with a double-track train scheduling problem for planning applications with multiple objectives. Focusing on a high-speed passenger rail line in an existing network, the problem is to minimize both (1) the expected waiting times for high-speed trains and (2) the total travel times of highspeed and medium-speed trains. By applying two practical priority rules, the problem with second criterion is decomposed and formulated as a series of multi-mode resource constrained project scheduling problems in order to explicitly model acceleration and deceleration times. A branch-and-bound algorithm with effective dominance rules is developed to generate Pareto solutions for the bicriteria scheduling problem, and a beam search algorithm with utility evaluation rules is used to construct a representative set of nondominated solutions. A case study based on Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railroad in China illustrates the methodology and compares the performance of the proposed algorithms.

The logsum is a measure of consumer surplus in the context of logit choice models. In spite of the abundant use of logit models in transport, project assessment is only rarely done using logsums. Instead in project evaluation or appraisal, changes in transport costs and time (borrowing values of time from some source) are commonly used to get the traveller benefits. The paper contains a review of the theoretical and applied literature on the use of logsums as a measure of consumer surplus change in project appraisal and evaluation. It then goes on to describe a case study with the Dutch National Model System (LMS) for transport in which the logsum method and the commonly used value of time method are compared for a specific project (high speed trains that would connect the four main cities in the Randstad: Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht).

Purpose: This study compares the training characteristics and the physical profiles of top-class male and female Kenyan long-distance runners. Method: The subjects were 20 elite Kenyan runners: 13 men (10-km performance time: 10-km performance time of 28 min, 36 s Ϯ 18 s) and 7 women (32 min, 32 s Ϯ 65 s). The male runners were separated into high-speed training runners (HST: N ϭ 6) and low-speed training runners (LST: N ϭ 7) depending on whether they train at speeds equal or higher than those associated with the maximal oxygen uptake (vV O 2max ). All but one woman were high-speed training runners (female HST: N ϭ 6). Subjects performed an incremental test on a 400-m track to determine V O 2max , vV O 2max , and the velocity at the lactate threshold (vLT). Results: Within each gender among the HST group, 10-km performance time was inversely correlated with vV O 2max (rho ϭ Ϫ0.86, P ϭ 0.05, and rho ϭ Ϫ0.95, P ϭ 0.03, for men and women, respectively). HST male runners had a higher V O 2max , a lower (but not significantly) fraction of vV O 2max (FV O 2max ) at the lactate threshold, and a higher energy cost of running (ECR). Among men, the weekly training distance at vV O 2max explained 59% of the variance of vV O 2max , and vV O 2max explained 52% of the variance of 10-km performance time. Kenyan women had a high V O 2max and FV O 2max at vLT that was lower than their male HST counterparts. ECR was not significantly different between genders. Conclusion: The velocity at the V O 2max is the main factor predicting the variance of the 10-km performance both in men and women, and high-intensity training contributes to this higher V O 2max among men.

The LIMSI ARISE system provides vocal access to rail travel information for main French intercity connections, including timetables, simulated fares and reservations, reductions and services. Our goal is to obtain high dialog success rates with a very open structure, where the user is free to ask any question or to provide any information at any point in time. In order to improve performance with such an open dialog strategy, we make use of implicit confirmation using the callers wording (when possible), and change to a more constrained dialog level when the dialog is not going well. The same system architecture is being used to develop a French/English prototype timetable service for the high speed trains between Paris and London.

The recent advent of high speed trains introduces
new mobility patterns in wireless environments. The LTE-A
(Long Term Evolution of 3GPP - Advanced) networks have
largely tackled the Doppler effect problem in the physical layer
and are able to keep wireless service with 100Mpbs throughput
within a cell in speeds up to 350 km/h. Yet the much more
frequent handovers across cells greatly increases the possibility
of service interruptions, and the problem is prominent for
multimedia communications that demand both high-throughput
and continuous connections.
In this paper, we present a novel LTE-based solution to
support high throughput and continuous multimedia services
for high speed train passengers. Our solution is based on a
Cell Array that smartly organizes the cells along a railway,
together with a femto cell service that aggregates traffic demands
within individual train cabins. Given that the movement direction
and speed of a high-speed train are generally known, our Cell
Array effectively predicts the upcoming LTE cells in service, and
enables a seamless handover that will not interrupt multimedia
streams. To accommodate the extreme channel variations, we
further propose a scheduling and resource allocation mechanism
to maximize the service rate based on periodical signal quality
changes. Our simulation under diverse network and railway/train
configurations demonstrates that the proposed solution achieves
much lower handover latency and higher data throughput, as
compared to existing solutions. It also well resists to network and
traffic dynamics, thus enabling uninterrupted quality multimedia
services for passengers in high speed trains.

This paper covers some of the work carried out in the planning of the Global System for Mobile Communication for Railway (GSM-R) of the tunnels on the new high-speed trains in Spain. Solutions based on distributed antenna systems have been tested by installing several 900-MHz transmitters inside and outside of a 4000-m tunnel and measuring the propagation in different conditions. The measurements have been used to model the effects of tunnel propagation, including curves, trains passing from the outside to the inside, and the effect of two trains passing inside the tunnel. All cases have been tested by comparing solutions using isofrequency and multifrequency distributed transmitters inside the tunnel. The improvements of signal-to-noise ratio and the reduction of the blocking effects of two trains passing have demonstrated the advantages of using isofrequency distributed antenna systems in tunnels. Finally, a complete propagation model combining both modal analysis and ray tracing has been applied to predict the propagation loss inside and outside these tunnels, and results have been compared with the measurements. The model has proven to be very useful for radio planning in new railway networks.

The aims of this study were to assess changes in muscle architecture, isometric and dynamic strength of the leg extensor muscles, resulting from dynamic resistance training, and the relationships between strength and muscle architecture variables. The participants (n ¼ 30) were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The training group (n ¼ 16; age 21.8 + 2.3 years, body mass 74.8 + 9.2 kg, height 1.75 + 0.08 m) performed dynamic resistance training for 13 weeks. The control group (n ¼ 14; age 19.9 + 1.5 years, body mass 74.0 + 8.5 kg, height 1.76 + 0.05 m) did not perform any resistance training. Maximal dynamic and isometric strength were tested in both groups, before and after the training period. The members of the training group used the free-weight squat lift (908) as their training exercise. The concentric phase of the squat was performed explosively. Skeletal muscle architecture of the vastus lateralis was visualized using ultrasonography. At the end of the study, significant increases in vastus lateralis muscle thickness (þ6.9%, P 5 0.001), fascicle length (þ10.3%, P 5 0.05), one-repetition maximum (þ8.2%, P 5 0.05), rate of force development (þ23.8%, P 5 0.05) and average force produced in the first 500 ms (þ11.7%, P 5 0.05) were seen only in the training group. Adaptations to the muscle architecture in the training group limited the loss of fibre force, and improved the capacity for developing higher velocities of contraction. The architectural changes in the training group were similar to those seen in studies where high-speed training was performed. In conclusion, dynamic resistance training with light loads leads to increases in muscle thickness and fascicle length, which might be related to a more efficient transmission of fibre force to the tendon.

Results of numerical investigations of high Reynolds number¯ows past a simpli®ed train geometry under dierent yawing conditions are summarised. Variations of the incidence¯ow angle from parallel to normal with respect to the direction of the forward train motion resulted in the development of distinctively dierent¯ow patterns. To compute numerically the dierent¯ow structures, the threedimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier±Stokes equations, combined with the k±E turbulence model, were solved on a multi-block structured grid using a ®nite volume technique. The pressure±velocity ®elds were coupled using the SIMPLE algorithm. Despite the geometrical simpli®cations of the computed train con®guration, the resulting¯ow ®elds show signi®cant complexities. #

This paper presents an application of induction motor mechanical speed and load torque observers in high-speed train drives. The observers are applied for a 1.2-MW electric drive with an induction motor. The goal of using such observers is to utilize computed variables for diagnostic purposes of speed sensors and torque transmission system. The concept of diagnostic system is presented in this paper, and proper criteria are proposed. The suggested system is designed to work without a speed sensor in the case of existing sensor faults. Monitored motor load torque is used to limit the maximum motor torque in the case of existing problems in the gearbox. The results of simulation and experimental investigations for a 1.2-MW induction motor drive are presented.

This paper investigates the possibility of improving the performance of railway vehicle suspensions by incorporating a newly developed mechanical device known as the inerter. A comparative study of several low-complexity passive suspension layouts is made. Improved performance for the lateral and vertical ride comfort, as well as lateral body movement when curving are demonstrated in comparison with the conventional suspension layout. The constraints imposed are to maintain the same level of other performance metrics. The calculations and optimisations are based on linearised plan-view and side-view high-speed train mathematical models.

The material characterization described in the paper is aimed at the structural design of the front shield for a high speed train made of composite material. A sandwich structure was considered, made of glass fiber epoxy face sheets with a polymeric foam core. Initially, the material properties and the rate sensitivity of the skin and core materials were investigated through a series of static and quasi-static tests. Static and dynamic impact tests were then run on the sandwich structure. For all materials tested, no significant strain-rate effects were observed over the range of test conditions investigated in the study. Results show that the structural response of the sandwich depends primarily on the strength properties of the foam core material. The dynamic impact resistance of the sandwich structure was then substantially improved by adding a net of resin walls within the foam.

High-speed trains could be used to solve two different accessibility problems. In the first case, where a point to point link is dominant, they are a potential substitute for air travelling. In the second case it links together many cities and, hence, creates a new type of region or corridor with a high interregional accessibility. One important hypothesis for the discussion in this paper is the degree to which cities that are linked together into a band of cities by means of a high-speed train connection are transformed to an extended functional region or in other words an integrated corridor economy. This paper particularly examines economic integration in a corridor economy in the short, medium and long term. In considering the short-term perspective we discuss not only the integration of goods and service markets but also the integration of labour markets and markets for shopping, private services and leisure activities. The discussion of the medium term perspective is concentrated on the relocation of households and firms within a high-speed train corridor. To study the long-term integration effects of a high-speed train corridor we maintain that the analysis must be conducted using a genuinely dynamic model for the specialisation of production and, hence, for trade with and transport of goods and services and consequently transport of people.

A major task related to conservation is to predict if planned infrastructure projects are likely to threaten biodiversity. In this study we investigated the potential impact of planned infrastructure in Spain on amphibian and reptile species, two highly vulnerable groups given their limited dispersal and current situation of population decline. We used distribution data of both groups to identify areas of high herpetofauna diversity, and compared the locations of these areas with the locations of the planned road, high-speed train railway and water reservoir network. Four criteria were used for this identification: species richness, rarity, vulnerability, and a combined index of the three criteria. From a total of 1441 cells of 20!20 km, areas of high diversity were defined as those cells whose ranked values for the different criteria included either all species or all threatened species. The combined index provided the smallest number of cells needed to retain all threatened species (1.7 and 2.6% of the cells for amphibian and reptile species, respectively). Coincidences between these high diversity areas and cells including planned infrastructures-denominated 'alert planning units'-were 35.4% for amphibians and 31.2% for reptiles. Mitigation of the potential impacts would include actions such as barriers to animal access to roads and railways and ecoducts under these constructions. Our approach provides conservation authorities information that can be used to make decisions on habitat protection. A technique that identifies threats to herpetofauna before they occur is also likely to improve the chance of herpetofauna being protected. q

The aim of this paper is to give a number of methodological and theoretical indicators concerning the contribution of ergonomists to the execution of design projects of new products. Within the context of a design project, the present work therefore describes the studies and ergonomic analyses that can be undertaken during each phase of the design process from a design model based on concurrent engineering. Encompassing the design of the driving cabin of the new generation of high-speed trains (TGV-NG), this paper, through the ergonomic study of a number of technical sub-systems of this product, illustrates the advisory role of the ergonomist who, within the collective design process, ensures that the specific nature of the ''human factor'' is fully integrated into the design approach. Thus, throughout the design process, the ergonomist is called upon both to advise the designer on the characteristics of the target users and, on the basis of a ''desirable future activities'' approach, to help him or her assess the consequences of the design choices made. Ergonomics is described consequently, as an innovation and safety factor. # Safety Science 41 www.elsevier.com/locate/ssci 0925-7535/02/$ -see front matter # 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. P I I : S 0 9 2 5 -7 5 3 5 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 3 8 -3

The design of new high-speed railway lines requires longer and more numerous tunnel sections, where aerodynamic effects limit the maximum allowed train velocity for a given tunnel cross-section area. These effects influence the train power requirement, the traction energy costs and the pressure wave amplitude: the knowledge of the unsteady aerodynamic field around the train is therefore essential to the optimum choice of a tunnel configuration, and mainly of the cross-section diameter and of the presence and position of pressure relief ducts. In this paper, the aerodynamic phenomena generated by a train traveling at high speed through a long tunnel of small cross-section are analyzed by means of quasi one-dimensional numerical simulations of the air flow induced by a train traveling at 120 m=s in a tunnel connecting two stations 60 km apart. Several tunnel configurations at high blockage ratio are discussed, together with the positive and negative effects of pressure relief ducts and of partial air vacuum. Aerodynamic phenomena are evaluated in terms of drag, pressure wave amplitude and shock wave onset on the train tail. Results suggest that configurations consisting of twin tunnels connected by pressure relief ducts near stations and operated under partial vacuum should be preferred. #

A formulation of three-dimensional dynamic interactions between a bridge and a high-speed train using wheel-rail interfaces has been developed. In the interface, contact loss is allowed, the vertical contact is represented by finite tensionless stiffness and the lateral contact is idealized by finite contact stiffness and creepage damping. Such stiffness and damping are nonlinearly dependent on normal contact force. The relative rotations of a wheelset to the rails about its vertical and longitudinal axes are included. Bridge eccentricities and deck displacement due to torsion are accounted for in bridge deck modeling. A numerical algorithm using separate integrations for bridges and trains, and iterations for interface compatibilities is established. A case study of a ten-car train passing over a two-span continuous bridge at various speeds and rail irregularity wavelength ranges is analyzed. The responses of the bridge, carbodies and wheelsets are investigated for their behavior, acceptability and relations with the wavelengths. Analytical and numerical evaluations of resonant speeds are in good agreement, and the exit span vibration is more amplified than the entrance one at those speeds. The computed relative displacements of all wheelsets to the rail facilitate an explicit assessment for derailment risk.

The increased speeds of modern trains are normally accompanied with increased transient movements of the rail and ground, which are especially high when train speeds approach some critical wave velocities in the track±ground system. These transient movements may cause large rail deflections, as well as structural vibrations and associated noise in nearby buildings. There are two main critical wave velocities in the track±ground system: the velocity of the Rayleigh surface wave in the ground and the minimum phase velocity of bending waves propagating in the track supported by ballast, the latter velocity being referred to as the track critical velocity. Both these velocities can be exceeded by modern high-speed trains, especially in the case of very soft soil where both critical velocities become very low. The discussion in this paper focuses on the effects of transient rail deflections on associated ground vibrations in the cases of train speeds approaching and exceeding Rayleigh wave and track critical velocities. The obtained theoretical results are illustrated by numerical calculations for TGV and Eurostar high-speed trains travelling along typical tracks built on soft soil.

This work presents an efficient methodology for the analysis of vibrations in a railroad track system, induced by the passage of conventional and high-speed trains. To this end the Boundary Element Method is used to model the soil-tie system within the framework of impulse response techniques. Conventional Finite Element Methods along with Newmark's integration is used for the modeling of the rail system. The two methods are coupled at the tie-rail interface and the solution is obtained following a staggered, time marching scheme in an efficient manner. The methodology accounts for Soil-Structure Interaction and traveling wave effects. In addition, this work identifies the parameters that affect the efficient modeling of railroad track systems as they pertain to the proposed solution methodology.

The dramatic increase in speeds of modern passenger trains makes it important to consider the vibrational impact of such trains on the built environment. In the author's earlier paper in which a quasistatic approach to the calculation of track deflection curves had been used ͓V. V. Krylov, Appl. Acoust. 44, 149-164 ͑1995͔͒, it had been shown that a very large increase in generated ground vibration level ͑about 70 dB, as compared to conventional trains͒ may occur if train speed exceeds the velocity of Rayleigh surface waves in the ground. Such a situation might arise, for example, with French TGV trains for which speeds over 515 km/h have been achieved. The present paper investigates the effect of track bending waves propagating in the system track/ground on railway-generated ground vibrations. It is shown that for train speeds approaching the minimal phase velocity of bending waves the level of generated ground vibrations is reduced. Theoretical results are illustrated by numerically calculated frequency spectra of ground vibrations generated by single axle loads traveling at different speeds and by TGV or Eurostar high-speed trains.

The paper deals with the timetabling problem of a mixed multiple-and single-tracked railway network. Out of all the solutions minimizing the maximum relative travel time, the one minimizing the sum of the relative travel times is selected. User preferences are taken into account in the optimization problems, that is, the desired departure times of travellers are used instead of artificially planned departure times. To find the global optimum of the optimization problem, an algorithm based on the bisection rule is used to provide sharp upper bounds of the objective function together with one trick that allows us to drastically reduce the number of binary variables to be evaluated by considering only those which really matter. These two strategies together permit the memory requirements and the computation time to be reduced, the latter exponentially with the number of trains (several orders of magnitude for existing networks), when compared with other methods. Several examples of applications are presented to illustrate the possibilities and excellences of the proposed method. The model is applied to the case of the existing Madrid-Sevilla high-speed line (double track), together with several extensions to Toledo, Valencia, Albacete, and Málaga, which are contemplated in the future plans of the high-speed train Spanish network. The results show that the computation time is reduced drastically, and that in some corridors single-tracked lines would suffice instead of double-tracked lines.

Software and system dependability is getting ever more important in embedded system design. Current industrial practice of model-based analysis is supported by state-transition diagrammatic notations such as Statecharts. State-of-the-art modelling tools like STATEMATE support safety and failure-effect analysis at design time, but restricted to qualitative properties. This paper reports on a (plug-in) extension of STATEMATE enabling the evaluation of quantitative dependability properties at design time. The extension is compositional in the way the model is augmented with probabilistic timing information. This fact is exploited in the construction of the underlying mathematical model, a uniform continuous-time Markov decision process, on which we are able to check requirements of the form: "The probability to hit a safety-critical system configuration within a mission time of 3 hours is at most 0.01." We give a detailed explanation of the construction and evaluation steps making this possible, and report on a nontrivial case study of a highspeed train signalling system where the tool has been applied successfully.

In high-speed trains, current collection from the overhead line is assured by an articulated suspension system called the "pantograph." Contact wires and overhead line are flexible systems that are subjected to oscillations that have to be compensated for a satisfactory quality of current collection. In high-speed railway applications, this technical problem is very important since higher traveling speed involves higher oscillations of the catenary. A feasible solution to improve current collection quality is to optimize the dynamical response of the pantograph suspension system through an active or semiactive suspension system. The authors of this paper have worked and cooperated with a team composed of members of Trenitalia SPA (main Italian railway company), Italcertifer (an Italian R&D agency), and many Italian Universities (Università di Firenze, Politecnico di Milano, Università di Pisa, and Università di Napoli) to the development of a prototype of an innovative railway pantograph for Italian high-speed lines. The authors have designed the layout of the control system (actuation system, sensors, drive and control algorithm, etc.). The proposed control strategy has been successfully calibrated with experimental tests. Testing procedures and experimental results are shown in order to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution and performances achieved by the first Trenitalia prototype, the T2006 pantograph.

This paper studies the vibration characteristics of a three-dimensional (3D) arch bridge when high-speed trains pass it. An accurate representation of the moving wheel element was developed; therefore, two elements for modeling a simple beam can obtain accurate results. In the dynamic analysis, this study advises two simple criteria to predict the train-bridge resonance effect. The first criterion is that the dominated train frequencies of nV train /L train similar to the first several bridge natural frequencies will produce resonance, where V train is the train velocity, L train is the compartment length and n is a positive integer. The second criterion is that the resonance will be produced when the train velocity is higher than 0.5Lf 2 , where L is the bridge length and f 2 is the bridge natural frequency of the anti-symmetric shape along the bridge direction. Finite element analyses indicate that the two criteria can predict the resonance of the arch bridge and the high-speed train precisely.

In order to attenuate weak shock waves in ducts, effects of pseudo-perforated walls were investigated. Pseudo-perforated walls are defined as wall perforations having a closed cavity behind it. Shock wave diffraction and reflection created by these perforations were visualized in a shock tube by using holographic interferometer, and also by numerical simulation. Along the pseudo-perforated wall, an incident shock wave attenuates and eventually turns into a sound wave. Due to complex interactions of the incident shock wave with the perforations, the overpressure behind it becomes non-uniform and its peak value can locally exceed that behind the undisturbed incident shock wave. However, its pressure gradient monotonically decreases with the shock wave propagation. Effects of these pseudo-perforated walls on the attenuation of weak shock waves generated in high speed train tunnels were studied in a 1/250-scaled train tunnel simulator. It is concluded that in order to achieve a practically effective suppression of the tunnel sonic boom the length of the pseudo-perforation section should be sufficiently long.

The topic of this paper is to present a new methodology for the threedimensional numerical simulation of the entrance of high-speed trains in a tunnel. The movement of the train is made thanks to a technique of sliding meshes and a conservative treatment of the faces between two domains. All parts of the development are thought with the aim to reduce the computational time. In particular, non reflecting boundary conditions for non-structured three-dimensional meshes are developed in order to limit the calculation domain. Validations of the methodology are presented on different test cases.

Compression waves generated by trains entering a tunnel travel toward the opposite portal, where they are partly reflected back in the tunnel as expansion waves and partly radiated outside as micro-pressure waves. The intensity of the micro-pressure waves is related to the pressure gradient of the oncoming wave that, during its propagation within the tunnel, can either become steeper or smoother, according to the balance between viscous, thermal and nonlinear effects. Under the worst conditions, micro-pressure waves can become cause of concern producing noise and vibrations in the environment close to the tunnel exit.

The corridor concept occupies a prominent place in several European reports. The creation of corridors is related to Ôspace of flowsÕ and Ôspace of placesÕ. The analysis of the case of the Brussels high speed train station makes it utterly clear that the space of flows often wipes out and replaces the space of places. A new financial and managerial elite is installed at the cost of the local population. This article provides elements of an alternative, open, fair and transparent approach. This calls for innovations in the governance structure as well.

This paper deals with the analysis of possible air interfaces to be employed in order to provide digital TV services to high speed trains via satellite. This turns out to be an extremely challenging issue, since in addition to traditional impairments characterizing the land mobile satellite channel, one has to face the presence of frequent tunnels, whose duration can easily reach several kilometers, and the presence of a variety of peculiar obstacles, such as electrical trellises and posts with and without brackets, which may result in frequent and deep fades. A large variety of possible solutions, based on standardized air interfaces with proper modifications, are analyzed by means of extensive software simulations, showing that effective solutions can be devised. Some consideration concerning the deployment of terrestrial gap-fillers to bridge the satellite connectivity inside long railway tunnels, large train station and within dense urban areas are also briefly addressed.

In order to better understand the heave observed on the railway roadbed of the French high-speed train (TGV) at Chabrillan in southern France, the swelling behaviour of the involved expansive clayey marl taken from the site by coring was investigated. The aim the study is to analyse the part of heave induced by the soil swelling. First, the swell potential was determined by flooding the soil specimen in an oedometer under its in-situ overburden stress. On the other hand, in order to assess the swell induced by the excavation undertaken during the construction of the railway, a second method was applied. The soil was first loaded to its in situ overburden stress existing before the excavation. It was then flooded and unloaded to its current overburden stress (after the excavation). The swell induced by this unloading was considered. Finally, the experimental results obtained were analyzed, together with the results from other laboratory tests performed previously and the data collected from the field monitoring. This study allowed estimating the heave induced by soil swelling. Subsequently, the part of the heave due to landslide could be estimated which corresponds to the difference between the monitored heave and the swelling heave.

A psychophysical experiment was conducted to evaluate the interior design alternatives of a highspeed train. Preference of each design alternative was quantitatively measured by using the magnitude estimation technique. Subsequent analyses showed that (1) passenger seats should be able to be arranged in the moving direction of a train, (2) a variety of interior convenience facilities, especially, an audio facility, should be provided to enhance passenger comfort and (3) the design requirements suggested by young passengers could improve the overall preference level. In addition, guidelines for collecting, standardizing, and analyzing the data are suggested when the magnitude estimation technique is used. The use of psychophysical data is expected to be very useful when it is necessary to make engineering decisions based on quantitative preference data.

The tread of railway wheels underlies high load and wear and its integrity is essential for the safety of the whole train. Visual inspections and optical gauging of the wheel profile are commonly applied for high-speed trains. AUROPA III is a rather new ultrasonic inspection system for the fast and early detection of crack-like defects in the tread of railway wheels. The system enables the inspection of the whole circumference of the tread during passing over stationary ultrasonic probes at speeds up to 15 km/h. EMAT probes are used which don't require liquid couplings. The ultrasonic wave propagates as a surface wave in the near surface zone of the tread; crack-like defects in this zone are detected by echoes and attenuation of the transmitted wave. This system can inspect all the wheels of a train in a few minutes and allows a fast screening of the condition of the tread. Chengdu Lead Science & Technology bought this inspection system with the latest state of technology in 20...

The observed difference in perceived annoyance caused by train and highway noise at the same averaged noise level, has led to the introduction of the 'railway bonus'. This bonus has found its way to the noise legislation in many countries, leading to more relaxed restrictions on time averaged noise levels, L Aeq . With the introduction of high-speed trains and train-like transportation systems based on magnetic levitation, the question has risen whether the railway bonus can still be applied. The design of the present experiment was different from previous efforts in many ways. Most importantly, it was conducted in a realistic setting, a holiday cottage, and participants were asked to engage in light daily activities during the tests. Traffic noise was reproduced in an ecologically valid way, using outdoor loudspeakers. A stepwise selection procedure was based on a screening questionnaire that was administered at the doorstep of 1500 people living around the test site, to be representative for the Dutch population. Finally, 100 representative participants were selected.