Assessment of locations along the proposed HS2 Routes that are likely to experience ground vibration boom from high-speed trains

Ground vibration boom is a physical phenomenon associated with a dramatic increase in railway-generated ground vibrations that can occur when train speeds exceed the velocity of Rayleigh waves in the supporting ground. The present paper describes the results of the preliminary assessment of the proposed HS2 routes from the point of view of possible occurrence of ground vibration boom. The analysis is based on the available geological information about the soil composition along the proposed HS2 routes and on the expected train speeds, including areas of train acceleration and deceleration between railway terminals. Rayleigh wave velocities have been calculated for all sites along the routes using the geological data and compared with the expected train speeds at the relevant locations. Using this method, several sensitive locations have been identified where ground vibration boom is likely to occur. The expected levels of ground vibration boom for some sites have been estimated.