We are proud to announce that our member, AV Ingenieros, has been selected as a Finalist at the ERCI Innovation Awards 2018 for their Dynamic Vibration Absorbers to Reduce Ground-borne Vibrations from Underground Railways.
Dynamic vibration absorbers (DVA) are well-established vibration control devices which are easy-to-maintain, uncomplicated design, high reliability and usually applied to control vibrations in structures like bridges, buildings or tribunes.
In this case, the DVA has been designed to reduce railway induced vibration at the source placing it on the railway superstructure (first innovation). Second and main innovation is the genetic algorithm developed to design optimal DVA properties as well as its optimal position on railway superstructure to reduce maximum vibration level.
The state of the art in DVA is to apply them on structures like bridges, buildings or tribunes; hence it has never been applied to railway infrastructures.
The development of a genetic algorithm capable to design an optimal passive DVA to reduce railway induced vibrations at the source raises a new market for these devices.
Even more, when this device can reduce vibrations at source after the infrastructure construction with no service cutoff.
Railway induced vibrations is a major issue in densely populated cities where mobility needs high frequency transportation modes, including during night time, placed near the users. Therefore, underground railway infrastructures, which always generates vibrations, are placed into urban areas, hence its vibrations affect residential buildings.
Nowadays, railway induced vibrations generated by existing railway infrastructures with no service cut off can be tackled by acting on the superstructure: replacing baseplates, adding under-sleeper pads or adding under ballast mats.
These replacements can be done with no service cut-off, but the job performance is low due to the short time available and due to each night, track must be left ready for day-time operation.
Major DVA advantage rely on it is mounted at track side, hence no work is done on the track. Therefore, job performance is higher than other works that include track work.
Another important advantage is the need of DVA: as a rule of thumb 1 DVA each 5 m length is needed. Considering that baseplates are usually placed each 60 cm, 1 DVA is needed for 16 baseplates.
Finally, DVA cost is as low as 5 baseplates, excluding trackwork.
For all above mentioned, economic benefits associated to DVA installation can be approximately 1/10 traditional track works oriented to vibration reduction.
About the ERCI Innovation Awards:
The ERCI Innovation Awards are organized and attributed by the Clusters, members of ERCI, to European companies that provide products, systems, technologies, processes or services, with proven innovative features. The contest is organized at a European level. Winners are selected by a European jury of independent experts representing industry, research and public authorities.
Selection of winners is based on the following criteria:
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