The consortium of Budimex SA, Railway Institute, Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute, and TINES, whose leader is the Warsaw University of Technology, is working on innovative devices for PKP PLK to reduce vibration and noise.

InRaViS and InRaNoS are the names of projects that aim to develop innovative solutions dedicated to protecting people, buildings and the environment against noise and vibration caused by rail traffic. Numerical simulations, laboratory research and tests carried out in real conditions will result in guidelines for the use of developed devices on railway lines managed by PKP PLK SA.

Two types of prototype noise reduction devices — rail dampers and track suppressors — will be made under the InRaNoS (Innovative solutions for people and environment protection against rail traffic noise) project. The InRaViS (Innovative solutions for people and building protection against rail traffic vibrations) project involves the development of four types of devices introduced into the railway surface structures, intended for ballast (under-ballast mats and under sleeper pads) and ballast-less (slab-track mats and embedded block systems) railway surface structures.

Device prototypes will be the result of material and geometric optimisation, as well as computer simulations and laboratory tests. They will be designed through analysis of the mechanisms of vibration and noise generation as well as their suppression efficiency. The effectiveness of noise-suppressing prototypes will also be tested using the impulse method on sections of the railway surface structure by the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology. All of these technically refined devices will be manufactured by TINES, and Budimex SA will carry out their installation on the test sections of the experimental track of the Railway Institute in Żmigród.

The Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute, the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology and the Railway Institute will measure noise levels on the experimental track, vibrations transmitted to the track surroundings and the impact in the railway vehicle, respectively.

The results of research and tests will be the basis for preparing the guidelines for the use of devices to reduce vibrations and noise from rail traffic; it will be possible to precisely select the mitigating measures in relation to the scale of the exceeded values. Completion of works is planned for May 2021.

The InRaViS and InRaNoS projects are co-financed from the funds of PKP PLK and the National Centre for Research and Development, from the European Regional Development Fund, as part of competition No. 1/4.1.1/2017/POIR under the BRIK Joint Undertaking.

InRaViS value: PLN 7,300,726.83
InRaNoS value: PLN 3,885,865.00