Train-induced aerodynamic characteristics of vertical sound barriers influenced by several factors

Investigations into the aerodynamic properties of vertical sound barriers exposed to high-speed operations employ computational fluid dynamics. The primary focus of this research is to evaluate the influence of train speed and the distance (D) from the track centerline under various operating conditions. The findings elucidate a marked elevation in the aerodynamic effect amplitude on sound barriers as train speeds increase. In single-train passages, the aerodynamic effect amplitude manifests a direct relationship with the square of the train speed. When two trains pass each other, the aerodynamic amplitude intensifies due to an additional aerodynamic increment on the sound barrier. This increment exhibits an approximate quadratic correlation with the retrograde train speed. Notably, the impact of high-speed trains on sound barrier aerodynamics surpasses that of low-speed trains, and this discrepancy amplifies with larger speed differentials between trains. Moreover, the train-induced aerodynamic effect diminishes significantly with greater distance (D), with occurrences of pressure coefficient (C_P) exceeding the standard thresholds during dual-train passages. This study culminates in the formulation of universal equations for quantifying the influence of train speed and distance (D) on sound barrier aerodynamic characteristics across various operational scenarios.