Automatic Sheet-Piling System for Isolation Barriers against Traffic-Induced Ground Vibrations

Structural vibrations induced by train traffic have to be damped to increase the quality of life in buildings close to railway tracks. The problem becomes more serious in places, where the propagation speed of Rayleigh surface waves is low due to the low elasticity of the soil. To overcome the problem it has been proposed different vibration isolation barrier constructions, which may be composed of sheet piles, artificial gravel layers and air cushion walls to modify the waves traveling along the ground. Because the barrier lines may be relatively long it has been developed an automatic sheet piling system to make the installation fast and economical.