Assessing the impact of railway traffic types on human annoyance in residential area due to ground-borne vibrations.

Rail transport represents an environmentally sustainable mode of transportation, with traffic volumes anticipated to rise in the coming decades. However, there is limited understanding of its impact on the residential area of human annoyance that affects the quality of life for residents near railway lines. This study evaluated the effect of types of train traffic-induced ground-borne vibrations on human annoyance. It is challenging to accurately assess the impact of vibration exposure caused by rail traffic. There is currently a lack of reliable models to evaluate vibration exposure. However, the distance from the railway track appears to be the most effective indicator of exposure to vibrations from rail traffic. The result presents the association between characterisation and annoyance from vibrations and its stratification by train type. Furthermore, speed, distance, and operational time were evaluated as the key factors influencing the relationship between survey results and field tests. High-speed trains are notably associated with increased annoyance levels, with 17 respondents reporting being highly annoyed and 26 reporting annoyance out of 208 total respondents due to elevated vibration exposure, highlighting the significant vibrations in causing discomfort and annoyance among residents. Hence, this study examines the impact of train-induced ground-borne vibrations on the human annoyance for residents near railway lines. Using field tests and surveys, it highlights the need for balancing sustainable rail transportation with minimising its negative effects on nearby communities and implementing measures to reduce vibrations and address human annoyance.