Reducing rail noise in tunnels, cuts and on viaducts using strategically placed sound absorbers

Rail traffic generates noise at the rail-wheel interaction through friction. This presentation will explore various options to reduce this annoying noise using sound absorbent tiles tuned to the specific frequencies. Applications include exposed viaducts, tunnels, and cuts where the reverberation and propagation of noise into the surrounding environment can be a noticeable environmental hazard. USA and overseas case studies and testing data, both lab and in situ, will be presented and discussed.