The influence of reflections from the train body and the ground on the sound radiation from a railway rail

Purpose – The vibration of the rails is a significant source of railway rolling noise, often forming the dominantcomponent of noise in the important frequency region between 400 and 2000 Hz. The purpose of the paper is toinvestigate the influence of the ground profile and the presence of the train body on the sound radiation fromthe rail.Design/methodology/approach – Two-dimensional boundary element calculations are used, in which therail vibration is the source. The ground profile and various different shapes of train body are introduced in themodel, and results are observed in terms of sound power and sound pressure. Comparisons are also made withvibro-acoustic measurements performed with and without a train present.Findings – The sound radiated by the rail in the absence of the train body is strongly attenuated by shieldingdue to the ballast shoulder. When the train body is present, the sound from the vertical rail motion is reflectedback down toward the track where it is partly absorbed by the ballast. Nevertheless, the sound pressure at thetrackside is increased by typically 0–5 dB. For the lateral vibration of the rail, the effects are much smaller. Oncethe sound power is known, the sound pressure with the train present can be approximated reasonably well withsimple line source directivities.Originality/value – Numerical models used to predict the sound radiation from railway rails have generallyneglected the influence of the ground profile and reflections from the underside of the train body on the soundpower and directivity of the rail. These effects are studied in a systematic way including comparisons with measurements.

An Improved Time-Domain Inverse Technique for Localization and Quantifcation of Rotating Sound Sources

The time-domain inverse technique based on the time-domain rotating equivalent source method has been proposed to localize and quantify rotating sound sources. However, this technique encounters two problems to be addressed: one is the time-consuming process of solving the transcendental equation at each time step, and the other is the difculty of controlling the instability problem due to the time-varying transfer matrix. In view of that, an improved technique is proposed in this paper to resolve these two problems. In the improved technique, a de-Dopplerization method in the time-domain rotating reference frame is frst applied to eliminate the Doppler efect caused by the source rotation in the measured pressure signals, and then the restored pressure signals without the Doppler efect are used as the inputs of the time-domain stationary equivalent source method to locate and quantify sound sources. Compared with the original technique, the improved technique can avoid solving the transcendental equation at each time step, and facilitate the treatment of the instability problem because the transfer matrix does not change with time. Numerical simulation and experimental results show that the improved technique can eliminate the Doppler efect efectively, and then localize and quantify the rotating nonstationary or broadband sources accurately. The results also demonstrate that the improved technique can guarantee a more stable reconstruction and compute more efciently than the original one.

Field measurement and evaluation of vibration in different areas of a metro depot

This paper presents a study of the characteristics of a railway vibration at three key sections containing different track structures in a metro depot.The results show that the vertical and horizontal vibration acceleration levels are proportional to train speed.The Z-weighted vertical acceleration levels obtained showed that the vibration source strengths at the ballast foot of the testing line and the throat area were very close.The vibration attenuation at the repair line was larger than that of the testing line.In the throat area,the peak frequency of vibration obtained at the ballast foot(2.5 m)could be shifted to a lower frequency band by using polyurethane sleepers instead of standard concrete sleepers.Polyurethane sleepers can help to reduce vertical vibration in a frequency band of 0-10 Hz.The vibration levels would satisfy the limits given in the ISO2631-2-2003(2013)for any location more than 5 m away from the source at the testing line and 2.5 m away from the source at the repair line and throat area.

Simplified prediction models for acoustic installation effects of train-mounted equipment

Acoustic models of railway vehicles in standstill and pass-by conditions can be used as part of a virtual certification process for new trains.For each piece of auxiliary equipment,the sound power measured on a test bench is combined with meas-ured or predicted transfer functions.It is important,however,to allow for installation effects due to shielding by fairings or the train body.In the current work,fast-running analytical models are developed to determine these installation effects.The model for roof-mounted sources takes account of diffraction at the corner of the train body or fairing,using a barrier model.For equipment mounted under the train,the acoustic propagation from the sides of the source is based on free-field Green’s functions.The bottom surfaces are assumed to radiate initially into a cavity under the train,which is modelled with a simple diffuse field approach.The sound emitted from the gaps at the side of the cavity is then assumed to propagate to the receivers according to free-field Green’s functions.Results show good agreement with a 2.5D boundary element model and with measurements.Modelling uncertainty and parametric uncertainty are evaluated.The largest variability occurs due to the height and impedance of the ground,especially for a low receiver.This leads to standard deviations of up to 4 dB at low frequencies.For the roof-mounted sources,uncertainty over the location of the corner used in the equivalent barrier model can also lead to large standard deviations.

轨道车辆一系螺旋弹簧振动疲劳失效分析

轨道车辆服役工况下一系悬挂系统中的金属螺旋弹簧疲劳断裂时有发生,影响列车运行安全性。针对某一系螺旋弹簧疲劳失效故障,考虑轮轨激励与弹簧结构动态特性耦合关系,建立准确提取弹簧载荷的模型,通过结构频域疲劳分析法计算弹簧动应力响应与疲劳寿命。首先考虑螺旋弹簧结构的动态特性,建立包含一系动刚度特性的车辆-轨道耦合精细化动力学模型,然后在轮轨激励下提取服役工况弹簧两端动载荷,最后采用结构频域疲劳分析法计算弹簧动应力响应与疲劳寿命,并与实测动应力结果进行对比验证。结果表明:螺旋弹簧自身动态特性体现在:多阶模态频率下弹簧中部的最大模态变形与簧条1~2圈间的最大模态应力;基于耦合动力学模型,计算得到内簧动应力响应与实测结果一致,在58 Hz的动应力峰值是其它频率动应力峰值的3倍以上;由于内簧一阶固有频率与轮轨系统P2共振频率接近,弹簧内部共振引起簧条1.2圈内侧高应力,该处疲劳寿命最短的分析结果与现场断裂位置吻合,而外簧的最短疲劳寿命约为内簧的3.6倍。因此,同时考虑轮轨激励与螺旋弹簧自身动态特性,使得一系螺旋弹簧固有频率远离轮轨共振频率,可提高弹簧结构的抗疲劳特性。

Exploring the Limits of a Deflection-Based Method for the Estimation of Dynamic Stress in Beams

Estimation of the dynamic stress in structures,such as beams and plates,has previously been made using the relationship between stress and velocity spatial maxima based on far-field assumptions.This paper presents a method for the estimation of dynamic stress in a beam using Euler–Bernoulli beam theory,where deflection data from a grid of measurement points on the surface of the beam is used to estimate the dynamic bending stress in the structure.The limitations of the method are investigated via response data provided by a numerical model of a freefree beam.A nondimensional wavenumber analysis is used to determine the number of points required for an accurate estimate of stress.Beams with a range of material and geometric parameters are modeled in order to explore the limits of the estimation method,and parameters representative of several real-world materials are used to assess the suitability of the method for practical applications.

Effect of cavity flow control on high-speed train pantograph and roof aerodynamic noise

The pantograph and its recess on the train roof are major aerodynamic noise sources on high-speed trains.Reducing this noise is particularly important because conventional noise barriers usually do not shield the pantograph.However,less attention has been paid to the pantograph recess compared with the pantograph.In this paper,the flow features and noise contribution of two types of noise reduction treatments rounded and chamfered edges are studied for a simplified high-speed train pantograph recess,which is represented as a rectangular cavity and numerically investigated at 1/10 scale.Improved delayed detached-eddy simulations are performed for the near-field turbulent flow simulation,and the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings aeroacoustic analogy is used for far-field noise prediction.The highly unsteady flow over the cavity is significantly reduced by the cavity edge modifications,and consequently,the noise radiated from the cavity is reduced.Furthermore,effects of the rounded cavity edges on the flow and noise of the pantographs(one raised and one folded)are investigated by comparing the flow features and noise contributions from the cases with and without rounding of the cavity edges.Different train running directions are also considered.Flow analysis shows that the highly unsteady flow within the cavity is reduced by rounding the cavity edges and a slightly lower flow speed occurs around the upper parts of the raised pantograph,whereas the flow velocity in the cavity is slightly increased by the rounding.Higher pressure fluctuations occur on the folded pantograph and the lower parts of the raised pantograph,whereas weaker fluctuations are found on the panhead of the raised pantograph.This study shows that by rounding the cavity edges,a reduction in radiated noise at the side and the top receiver positions can be achieved.Noise reductions in the other directions can also be found.

Numerical optimisation of a classical stochastic system for targeted energy transfer

The paper studies stochastic dynamics of a two-degree-of-freedom system,where a primary linear system is connected to a nonlinear energy sink with cubic stiffness nonlinearity and viscous damping.While the primary mass is subjected to a zero-mean Gaussian white noise excitation,the main objective of this study is to maximise the efficiency of the targeted energy transfer in the system.A surrogate optimisation algorithm is proposed for this purpose and adopted for the stochastic framework.The optimisations are conducted separately for the nonlinear stiffness coefficient alone as well as for both the nonlinear stiffness and damping coefficients together.Three different optimisation cost functions,based on either energy of the system’s components or the dissipated energy,are considered.The results demonstrate some clear trends in values of the nonlinear energy sink coefficients and show the effect of different cost functions on the optimal values of the nonlinear system’s coefficients.

船舶辅机浮筏半主动非线性隔振系统振动特性分析

磁流变阻尼器因其低耗能、响应迅速等特点而被广泛应用。文章采用一种改进的Bingham模型对船舶辅机浮筏隔振装置中的非线性磁流变阻尼力进行建模。该模型简单且含滞后特性,便于理论分析。对建立的船舶辅机浮筏隔振系统的非线性动力学模型,通过平均法求解船舶辅机浮筏半主动隔振系统的理论解,并运用Matlab对理论解进行数值仿真验证。以力传递率作为评价指标,分析了磁流变阻尼器各参数对隔振效果的影响规律。研究结果可为非线性船舶辅机浮筏隔振系统的设计提供理论依据,从而能更有效地控制船舶辅机的振动。

Separation theory of the incident and scattered sound fields in spherical coordinate

By the spherical wave spectrum transform,the sound pressures on the two spherical surfaces surrounding the scattering objects with arbitrarily-shaped sur-faces are decomposed into spherical wave components that propagate in a known manner,the relationships between the spherical wave components of the same order on the two spherical surfaces are established by the wave field extrapolation theorem,and the formula of the separation theory in the spherical coordinate is established in the wave-number domain. After separating the scattered pressure,the total scattered field can be obtained by holographic reconstruction and predic-tion. In order to overcome the instability of acoustic inverse problem,a new wave-number domain filter technique is proposed. It is proved that,as long as the two holographic spherical surfaces are taken to be close enough,the singularity of the separation formula can be avoided. The results of numerical simulation dem-onstrate the feasibility and validity of the separation theory.

RECONSTRUCTION STABILITY OF NEARFIELD ACOUSTIC HOLOGRAPHY

The distributed source boundary point method （DSBPM） is used as the spatial transform algorithm for realizing nearfield acoustic holography （NAH）, the sensitivity of the reconstructed solution to the measurement errors is analyzed, and the regularization method is proposed to stabilize the reconstruction process, control the influence of the measurement errors and get a better approximate solution. An oscillating sphere is investigated as a numerical example, the influence of the measurement errors on the reconstruction solution is demonstrated, and the feasibility and validity of the regularization method are validated. Key words： Acoustic holography Boundary point method Inverse problem Regularization

NEAR-FIELD ACOUSTIC HOLOGRAPHY FOR SEMI-FREE ACOUSTIC FIELD BASED ON WAVE SUPERPOSITION APPROACH

In the semi-free acoustic field, the actual acoustic pressure at any point is composed of two parts： The direct acoustic pressure and the reflected acoustic pressure. The general acoustic holographic theories and algorithms request that there is only the direct acoustic pressure contained in the pressure at any point on the hologram surface, consequently, they cannot be used to reconstruct acoustic source and predict acoustic field directly. To take the reflected pressure into consideration, near-field acoustic holography for semi-free acoustic field based on wave superposition approach is proposed to realize the holographic reconstruction and prediction of the semi-free acoustic field, and the wave superposition approach is adopted as a holographic transform algorithm. The proposed theory and algorithm are realized and verified with a numerical example, and the drawbacks of the general theories and algorithms in the holographic reconstruction and prediction of the semi-free acoustic field are also demonstrated by this numerical example.

Novel Method for Selection of Regularization Parameter in the Near-field Acoustic Holography

Because of the ill-posedness of the near-field acoustic holography（NAH）,the regularization method is required to stabilize the computational process of NAH.The regularization effect is related to how to select the parameter correctly and effectively.However the L-curve method commonly used for the selection of regularization parameters has the disadvantages of wrong selection and incorrect selection,which influences the application of NAH.For the purpose of solving the problems existed in the L-curve method,the （？）-curve method is introduced into the field of NAH,and the performance applied to NAH directly is analyzed on the basis of equivalent source method-based NAH.However,it is found out via investigations that the（？）-curve method in NAH also has the problem of wrong selection and is unable to choose the regularization parameter correctly.In order to select the parameter correctly and effectively,a novel method for selecting regularization parameters is proposed based on the original（？）-curve method,which can be called improved （？）-curve method.In the proposed method the regularization parameters are discretized linearly between the largest singular value and the smallest singular value,and the solution norm and the residual norm corresponding to these regularization parameters are also described in a linear coordinate instead of in a lg-lg coordinate,which are the two main differences compared with the L-curve and with the original（？）-curve method.In linear coordinate and using the linearly discretized regularization parameters,the solution norm is a monotonically decreasing function of the residual norm as the increase of the regularization parameter,moreover the curve is convex everywhere.So the regularization parameters can be selected correctly and effectively based on the improved（？）-curve method.Then a numerical simulation is done with a simply supported plate to verify the validity of the proposed method.Experiments with two actual sources,a clamped plate and the double speakers,are carried out to do a further demonstration.The simulation result as well as the experimental result shows that the improved（？）-curve method is efficacious and has some advantages over the L-curve method and the original（？）-curve method.The proposed novel method is able to avoid the problem of wrong selection and to select the regularization parameter correctly even if the curve is smooth.

Successes and challenges in non-destructive testing of aircraft composite structures

Composite materials are increasingly used in the aerospace industry.To fully realise the weight saving potential along with superior mechanical properties that composites offer in safety critical applications,reliable Non-Destructive Testing(NDT)methods are required to prevent catastrophic failures.This paper will review the state of the art in the field and point to highlight the success and challenges that different NDT methods are faced to evaluate the integrity of critical aerospace composites.The focus will be on advanced certificated NDT methods for damage detection and characterization in composite laminates for use in the aircraft primary and secondary structures.

Tribological behaviour diagnostic and fault detection of mechanical seals based on acoustic emission measurements

Acoustic emission(AE) has been studied for monitoring the condition of mechanical seals by many researchers, however to the best knowledge of the authors, typical fault cases and their effects on tribological behaviour of mechanical seals have not yet been successfully investigated. In this paper, AE signatures from common faults of mechanical seals are studied in association with tribological behaviour of sealing gap to develop more reliable condition monitoring approaches. A purpose-built test rig was employed for recording AE signals from the mechanical seals under healthy and faulty conditions. The collected data was then processed using time domain and frequency domain analysis methods. The study has shown that AE signal parameters: root mean squared(RMS) along with AE spectrum, allows fault conditions including dry running, spring out and defective seal faces to be diagnosed under a wide range of operating conditions. However, when mechanical seals operate around their transition point, conventional signal processing methods may not allow a clear separation of the fault conditions from the healthy baseline. Therefore an auto-regressive(AR) model has been developed on recorded AE signals to classify different fault conditions of mechanical seals and satisfactory results have been perceived.

Landweber iterative regularization for nearfield acoustic holography

On the basis of the distributed source boundary point method (DSBPM)-based nearfield acoustic holography (NAH), Landweber iterative regularization method is proposed to stabilize the NAH reconstruction process, control the influence of measurement errors on the reconstructed results and ensure the validity of the reconstructed results. And a new method, the auxiliary surface method, is pro- posed to determine the optimal iterative number for optimizing the regularization effect. Here, the optimal number is determined by minimizing the relative error between the calculated pressure on the auxiliary surface corresponding to each iterative number and the measured pressure. An experiment on a speaker is investigated to demonstrate the high sensitivity of the reconstructed results to measurement errors and to validate the chosen method of the optimal iterative number and the Landweber iterative regularization method for controlling the influence of measurement errors on the reconstructed results.

Resolution enhancement of nearfield acoustic holography by interpolation using band-limited signal restoration method

A new method based on interpolation using band-limited signal restoration method was proposed for enhancing the resolution of the nearfield acoustic holography. According to the band-limited property of the pressure on the hologram surface, a band-limited signal restoration method named Papoulis-Gerchberg algorithm was used to realize the interpolation of acoustic pressure. Therefore acoustic pressure data on the hologram surface were increased, the sampling interval was reduced, the information on evanescent waves which was lost because of the large sampling interval was partially recovered, and the resolution of nearfield acoustic holography image was improved. The experimental result shows that the method can enhance the resolution of the nearfield acoustic holography image efficiently.

Patch nearfield acoustic holography combined with sound field separation technique applied to a non-free field

The conventional nearfield acoustic holography(NAH) is usually based on the assumption of free-field conditions, and it also requires that the measurement aperture should be larger than the actual source. This paper is to focus on the problem that neither of the above-mentioned requirements can be met, and to examine the feasibility of reconstructing the sound field radiated by partial source, based on double-layer pressure measurements made in a non-free field by using patch NAH combined with sound field separation technique. And also, the sensitivity of the reconstructed result to the measurement error is analyzed in detail. Two experiments involving two speakers in an exterior space and one speaker inside a car cabin are presented. The experimental results demonstrate that the patch NAH based on single-layer pressure measurement cannot obtain a satisfied result due to the influences of disturbing sources and reflections, while the patch NAH based on double-layer pressure measurements can successfully remove these influences and reconstruct the patch sound field effectively.

An improved subspace weighting method using random matrix theory

The weighting subspace fitting(WSF)algorithm performs better than the multi-signal classification(MUSIC)algorithm in the case of low signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)and when signals are correlated.In this study,we use the random matrix theory(RMT)to improve WSF.RMT focuses on the asymptotic behavior of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of random matrices with dimensions of matrices increasing at the same rate.The approximative first-order perturbation is applied in WSF when calculating statistics of the eigenvectors of sample covariance.Using the asymptotic results of the norm of the projection from the sample covariance matrix signal subspace onto the real signal in the random matrix theory,the method of calculating WSF is obtained.Numerical results are shown to prove the superiority of RMT in scenarios with few snapshots and a low SNR.

Reconstruction and prediction of coherent acoustic field with the combined wave superposition approach

The routine wave superposition approach cannot be used in reconstruction and prediction of a coherent acoustic field, because it is impossible to separate the pressures generated by individual sources. According to the superposition theory of the coherent acoustic field , a novel method based on the combined wave superposition approach is developed to reconstruct and predict the coherent acoustic field by building the combined pressure matching matrixes between the hologram surfaces and the sources. The method can reconstruct the acoustic information on surfaces of the individual sources, and it is possible to predict the acoustic field radiated from every source and the total coherent acoustic field can also be calculated spontaneously. The experimental and numerical simulation results show that this method can effectively solve the holographic reconstruction and prediction of the coherent acoustic field and it can also be used as a coherent acoustic field separation technique. The study on this novel method extends the application scope of the acoustic holography technique.