The effects of floating slab bending resonances on the vibration isolation of rail viaduct

This paper compared the performance of several isolation designs to control vibration transmissions from concrete rail viaducts. The isolation systems analysed includes medium- and short-length floating slabs, and floating ladders. The vibration was measured in Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. The study aimed to assess the effects of bending resonances of the floating slab systems. Simple formulae of estimating the significant bending resonance frequency and support passage frequency of a floating slab system are proposed. The resonance peaks obtained in site measurement are found to be in agreement with the calculation results. The results show that other than the vertical rigid body resonances for the isolation systems, the bending resonances of slabs have significant effects on vibration isolation performance. In particular, bending resonance frequencies should not coincide with the vertical isolator resonance and support passage frequency. According to the in-situ measurement results, a mini-type concrete floating slab can reduce the vibration level by more than 30 dB in the frequency range of 63-200 Hz. This should be achieved by designing the first bending resonances of the floating slab to be out of the dominant frequency range of concrete rail viaduct vibration.     

STRUCTURE-BORNE NOISE AND VIBRATION OF CONCRETE BOX STRUCTURE AND RAIL VIADUCT

In this study, the vibration and acoustic resonance, and dominant frequency range of simple concrete box and viaduct are examined from the measurement results. A narrow band analysis—fast Fourier transform (FFT) method is used to analyze the measurement results and finite element method (FEM) is used to validate resonance frequencies for noise and vibration. The experiment of the concrete box structure is a preliminary study of analyzing resonance frequency radiated from the vibrating concrete structure since railway viaduct is a concrete box structure too. According to their noise and vibration spectra, it shows that the vibration resonance is more significant than the acoustics resonance.Based on the measurement results of the rail viaduct structure-borne noise and vibration, the relationship in terms of transfer function and coherence between noise and vibration are evaluated. They show that the dominant frequency range for noise and vibration of concrete viaduct is between 20 and 157 Hz, the resonance frequencies are 43 and 54 Hz and have significant tonal noise characteristics. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical relationship between sound and vibration.     

Attenuation of flexural vibration for floating floor and floating box induced by ground vibration

This paper investigates the vibration isolation performance of floating floor and floating box structures to control rail vibration transmission. Simple theoretical and experimental methods are developed to analyze the effects of stiffener beam, mass and arrangement of isolator on the fundamental natural frequency of the flexural vibration of floating floor and box structure.The vibration reduction performances of floating floor and box structure are found to be degraded by flexural vibration of the floor or supporting stiffener beam. From the results of vibration measurements; stiffener beams increase the fundamental natural frequency of flexural vibration of floating floor and enhance vibration isolation. Also they can further alleviate the effect of flexural vibration using optimum isolator arrangement effectively. The proposed floating box design achieved a vibration reduction of 15-30 dB in frequency region of critical rail vibration (30-200 Hz).     

Impact of sound and vibration of the North-South high-speed railway connection through the city of Antwerp Belgium

In the European High-Speed Train Network the infrastructure of the North-South connection in Antwerp needs significant modifications. For the section between Berchem and Antwerp Central Station the existing track on the high level embankment will be incorporated into concrete structures providing a three level track access to the station. For the section between Antwerp Central Station and Dam two drilled tunnels are planned providing the station with pass-through facilities instead of being an “end” station as at present. The paper focuses on the methods of practical research and the resulting measures regarding the impact of sound and vibration on the environment.An essential part of this study is the impact of the planned construction of a double railway tunnel underneath the city of Antwerp. At certain locations, the distance between the foundations of the houses and the top of the tunnel is only 4 m. The study considers the projected vibration levels on the rail, the tunnel invert, building foundations and upper floors of the buildings. Also the ground-borne noise is evaluated. The study identifies the measures necessary at the rail mounting level. As a result, a floating slab has been proposed and the effects on the environment are estimated.     

Experimental study of coupled vibration in a finite periodic dual-layered structure with transverse connection

The analytical equations of the transfer matrix method are further derived for the multi-coupled vibration of flexural and longitudinal waves in a periodic dual-layered beam structure with connection branches, with full consideration given to the flexural and longitudinal motions that are tri-coupled at each connection. Measurements of mobilities at the junctions on the uni-layered beam and the cross-layered beam are made. The numerical results agree well with the experimental results at all frequencies from 10 to 2000 Hz, which verifies the theoretical methodology for the multi-coupled vibration in a finite dual-layered beam. The cross-layer energy transmission is calculated, which reveals that the transmitted longitudinal energy is enhanced not only at the longitudinal resonant modes but also at the flexural resonant modes of the connection branches due to the structural wave coupling. The flexural energy is excited by wave coupling and becomes stronger at the longitudinal resonant modes and the flexural resonant modes of the connection branches. The cross-layer vibration motions from coupled waves in the branches can be effectively controlled by the attached cantilevers with mass at the resonance modes. This method can be used to control the structure-borne sound transmission in multi-layer beam structures.     

Untersuchung zur anwendbarkeit impulsförmiger anregung für ein meßverfahren zur bestimmung von körperschallanregung und -übertragung

A procedure has been developed for measuring the structure-borne sound sensitivity of building structures to stationary excitation. This procedure has the advantage that it can be conducted with simple sound pressure and vibration measurements. The precision and reproducibility of the measurement procedure have been tested. This method permits the measurement of the vibratory point forces due to structure-borne sound sources in buildings or other systems.In order to determine the structure-borne sound sensitivity and the vibratory point forces to transient excitation, impulses were tested and compared with the results obtained with stationary excitation.     

Experimental and numerical analysis of floating floor resonance and its effect on impact sound transmission

This paper is concerned with the analysis of the dependence of low frequency impact sound transmission through floating floor systems on in situ matched resonances. The evidence for the floating floor matched resonances has been found previously considering laboratory and numerical tests for one concrete slab and floating floor with varying resilient layers. In the present paper, considering laboratory and field tests for concrete slabs and floating floors with different plan configurations, this evidence is strengthened as differences between laboratory and field measurements of the impact sound level were negligible for the bare concrete slab but not with the floating floor installed. These results were also confirmed numerically. The analysis indicates that the dependence of low frequency impact sound transmission through floating floor systems on in situ matched resonances should be considered in addition to the conventional single degree of freedom models in order to improve accuracy.     

Simulations of grazing-incidence pumped Ni-like Sn X-ray laser at 11.9 nm

Grazing-incidence pumped Ni-like Sn X-ray laser media at 11.9 nm (4d-4p, J = 0-1) is modelled using code EHYBRID and a post-processor code. The required atomic data are obtained using the Cowan code. In this study the pre-formed plasma is pumped on longitudinal direction with a grazing angle. Detailed simulations were performed to optimize the driving laser configurations. Relatively high gain is produced for the Ni-like Sn X-ray laser at 11.9 nm with long pre-pulse and short main pulse drive energy of only 100 mJ on 4 mm slab targets. Using low intensity pre-pulse prior to long pulse decreases the electron density gradient. X-ray resonance lines between 13 and 25 Å emitted from tin plasma have been simulated using post-processor coupled with EHYBRID. The ratio of these resonance lines can be used to measure electron temperature of the laser produced Sn plasma.     

Circulation pumps as structure-borne sound sources: emission to semi-infinite pipe systems

Circulation pumps are an important source of noise from domestic central heating systems. Pumps can generate airborne, liquid-borne and structure-borne sound and although standards exist for airborne and liquid-borne sources, none do for structure-borne sources. This is primarily because the structure-borne acoustic power delivered by the pump not only depends on the pump but also on the connected receiving system, which can be a complicated combination of pipes, valves and radiators. Also pumps deliver liquid-borne and structure-borne acoustic power simultaneously and their relative contributions to the sound radiated from the pipe system is not obviously obtainable. The approach proposed is to estimate the emission from the pump into semi-infinite pipes of material and cross-section typical of heating systems. Then to estimate the ‘mixing’ effect of bends, joints and other pipe discontinuities, due to wave mode conversion, as described in a companion paper. In the present paper, it is demonstrated that the structure-borne power can be calculated from the measured free velocity and mobility of the pump for each component of vibration and from receiver mobilities of idealized pipe systems. The structure-borne power is compared with the liquid-borne power measured directly by intensimetry.     

Effect of acoustical damping with a porous absorptive layer in the cavity to reduce the structure-borne sound radiation from a double-leaf structure

Structure-borne sound radiation from a double-leaf structure with a porous absorptive layer in the cavity is studied theoretically as well as experimentally. The study is for establishing a countermeasure to reduce the structure-borne noise radiated from an interior leaf into rooms and for clarifying its reduction effect. The sound field radiated from a double-leaf elastic plate with layers of arbitrary media in the cavity set into vibration by a point force excitation is theoretically analyzed. The effect of the bulk vibration of an absorptive layer is also considered by a simple model into the present theory. Radiation reduction of an inner-layer derived from the theory is experimentally validated. Parametric studies reveal that increasing the ratio of an absorptive layer thickness to the cavity depth is effective to reduce the structure-borne sound radiation but high flow resistivity of the absorbent material is not necessarily required. A practical equation to predict the mass-air-mass resonance frequency for absorbent cavity case is given in a simple form.     

Analyses of biodynamic responses of seated occupants to uncorrelated fore-aft and vertical whole-body vibration

The apparent mass and seat-to-head-transmissibility response functions of the seated human body were investigated under exposures to fore-aft (x), vertical (z), and combined fore-aft and vertical (x and z) axis whole-body vibration. The coupling effects of dual-axis vibration were investigated using two different frequency response function estimators based upon the cross- and auto-spectral densities of the response and excitation signals, denoted as H₁ and H_v estimators, respectively. The experiments were performed to measure the biodynamic responses to single and uncorrelated dual-axis vibration, and to study the effects of hands support, back support and vibration magnitude on the body interactions with the seatpan and the backrest, characterized in terms of apparent masses and the vibration transmitted to the head. The data were acquired with 9 subjects exposed to two different magnitudes of vibration applied along the individual x- and z-axis (0.25 and 0.4 m/s² rms), and along both the axis (0.28 and 0.4 m/s² rms along each axis) in the 0.5-20 Hz frequency range. The two methods resulted in identical single-axis responses but considerably different dual-axis responses. The dual-axis responses derived from the H_v estimator revealed notable effects of dual-axis vibration, as they comprised both the direct and cross-axis responses observed under single axis vibration. Such effect, termed as the coupling effect, was not evident in the dual-axis responses derived using the commonly used H₁ estimator. The results also revealed significant effects of hands and back support conditions on the coupling effects and the measured responses. The back support constrained the upper body movements and thus showed relatively weaker coupling compared to that observed in the responses without the back support. The effect of hand support was also pronounced under the fore-aft vibration. The results suggest that a better understanding of the seated human body responses to uncorrelated multi-axis whole-body vibration could be developed using the power-spectral-density based H_v estimator.     

The prediction of the vibration reduction index Kij for brick and concrete rigid junctions

The vibration reduction index, K_ij, is related to the transmission of the vibrational power over a junction between structural elements. Two empirical models are proposed to evaluate K_ij, on the basis of statistical evaluations of numerous in-field tests carried out on rigid junctions between floors made by concrete beams and ribbed slab with brick blocks and brickwork walls, a type of junction that is frequently encountered in Southern European and Mediterranean buildings. These models can be applied in order to calculate the sound insulation properties, such as the normalized impact sound pressure level, , and the apparent sound reduction index, R′, of walls and floors in buildings.The first model allows the single number value of the vibration sound reduction index of a junction to be calculated, on the basis of the real properties of the materials that constitute the junction. A new quantity, the “essential” mass per unit area, was introduced to implement the model.The second model provides an estimation of the K_ij as a function of frequency, subdivided between BB-junction, as ribbed slab with brick blocks floor-brick wall, and CB-junction, i.e. concrete beam-brick wall.     

混凝土箱梁相似模型结构噪声对比分析*

为探讨混凝土箱梁噪声的时变特性,以京沪高铁32 m混凝土简支箱梁为原型,制作了1:10的缩尺模型,通过模态试验的方法验证箱梁模型与原型的相似关系,通过声学试验验证箱梁声学计算模型的正确性。然后,建立了箱梁缩尺模型与原型两种计算模型,利用有限元和边界元法求出两种模型的瞬态结构噪声。研究发现,箱梁缩尺模型与箱梁原型的材料参数满足一定关系,模型试验的方法能够验证箱梁模型与箱梁原型之间符合相似关系,箱梁模型的振动噪声测试结果能真实反映原型振动噪声水平。两种模型的结构噪声在时域内声压级及对应场点的声压存在一定相似关系。该研究可为箱梁缩尺模型结构噪声反演至箱梁原型提供依据,所采用的方法和得到的结果对桥梁结构振动与声辐射实验研究具有参考作用。     

Experimental investigation on submicron rib waveguide microring/racetrack resonators in silicon-on-insulator

In experiment, characteristics of silicon microring/racetrack resonators in submicron rib waveguides have been systematically investigated. It is demonstrated that only a transverse-electric mode is guided for a ratio of slab height to rib height h/H = 0.5. Thus, these microring/racetrack resonators can only function for quasi-transverse-electric mode, while they get rid of transverse-magnetic polarization. Electron beam lithography and inductively coupled plasma etching were employed and improved to reduce sidewall roughness for low propagation loss and high performance resonators. Then, the effects of waveguide dimensions, coupling region design, waveguide roughness, and oxide cladding for the resonators have been considered and analyzed.     

Phase-matched third-harmonic UV generation using low-order modes in a glass micro-fiber

We observe phase-matched third-harmonic generation at 355 nm in a low-order mode of a sub-micron diameter glass fiber. The third-harmonic signal exhibits a sharp resonance for a fiber diameter d = 0.49 ± 0.02 μm, in excellent agreement with the value d = 0.506 μm predicted by theory. The third-harmonic conversion efficiency is 2 × 10⁻⁶, and is limited by the pump power (1 kW) and effective fiber length (100 μm).     

Transfer matrix modeling of the vibroacoustic response of multi-materials structures under mechanical excitation

In several automotive and aircraft applications there is a need for simple tools to assess quickly and accurately the performance of sound packages. Statistical energy analysis (SEA) and the transfer matrix method (TMM) are examples of such methods. The used methodology (for modeling sound packages) is well validated for acoustic excitations (airborne). However, a simple and reliable methodology is still lacking for mechanical excitations (structure-borne). This work concentrates on the latter. It presents and compares three different simple approaches to model the vibration and acoustic response of a mechanically excited structure with an added noise control treatment. Various examples are presented to confirm their relevance and accuracy in comparison to more exact and costly methods, such as the finite element method. In particular, it is shown that the TMM with a size correction (FTMM) is accurate enough to eliminate the classical assumption of low coupling classically assumed in SEA modeling of sound packages and/or compute efficiently the structure-borne insertion loss of sound packages used in SEA and FEM models.     

Optimal design of coupling waveguide structure for adiabatic optical directional full couplers weighted by sin-square and raised-cosine functions

The optimal design of coupling waveguide structure for adiabatic optical directional full couplers (AODFC) based on weighted sin-square function (SSF) and raised-cosine function (RCF) are investigated in this paper. The coupling lengths with a crosstalk smaller than −30 dB at the operating wavelength of 1.57 μm resulted in a value of 3.0 and 2.4 mm for the SSF and RCF cases, respectively. Under the same level of crosstalk, the wavelength ranges obtained by weighted SSF and RCF could be varied about 1.33-1.70 μm and 1.27-1.70 μm with coupler lengths of 6.0 and 5.5 mm, respectively. Clearly, the AODFC weighted by RCF has the superior performances of both short coupling length and broad wavelength ranges.     

Theoretical analysis and experimental validation of radial cascaded composite ultrasonic transducer

A radial cascaded composite ultrasonic transducer is analyzed.The transducer consists of three short metal tubes and two radially polarized piezoelectric ceramic short tubes arranged alternately along the radial direction.The short metal tubes and the piezoelectric ceramic short tubes are connected in parallel electrically and in series mechanically,which can multiply the input sound power and sound intensity.Based on the theory of plane stress,the electro-mechanical equivalent circuit of radial vibration of the transducer is derived firstly.The resonance/anti-resonance frequency equation and the expression of the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient are obtained.Excellent electromechanical characteristics are determined by changing the radial geometric dimensions.Two prototypes of the transducers are designed and manufactured to support the analytical theory.It is concluded that the theoretical resonance/anti-resonance frequencies are consistent with the numerical and experimental results.When R_2 is at certain values,both the anti-resonance frequency and effective electromechanical coupling coefficient corresponding to the second mode have maximal values.The radial cascaded composite ultrasonic transducer is expected to be used in the fields of ultrasonic water treatment and underwater acoustics.     

Room-temperature electrosynthesized ZnO thin film with strong (0 0 2) orientation and its optical properties

ZnO thin film with strong orientation (0 0 2) and smooth surface morphology was electrosynthesized on ITO-coated glass substrate at room temperature under pulsed voltage. Photoluminescence (PL) shows two obvious peaks: violet band and strong green band. The former is due to the free-excitonic transition and the latter is believed to arise from the single ionized oxygen vacancy (V_O⁺). Raman scattering reveals that the 580 cm⁻¹ mode and the shoulder peak mode at 550 cm⁻¹ originate from the N-related local vibration mode (LVM) and E₁ (LO) mode, respectively.     

Reduction of structure-borne sound in simple ship structures: Results of model tests

A method for the prediction of the transmission of structure-borne sound in ship structures is presented. Various methods to decrease the noise levels in the accomodation spaces in superstructures are investigated in model tests. The attenuation of structure-borne sound in the propagation path between source and receiver is increased by means of damping layers, resilient mounts and changed boundary conditions between main deck and superstructure. Damping layers are found to have only a local effect. Resilent mounts between superstructure and main deck can reduce the noise levels in the superstructure by the order of 10 dB(A).