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TRIMIS

Virtual certification of acoustic performance for freight and passenger trains

PROJECTS
Funding
European
European Union
Duration
-
Status
Complete with results
Geo-spatial type
Other
Total project cost
€3 211 175
EU Contribution
€2 091 220
Project website
Project Acronym
ACOUTRAIN
STRIA Roadmaps
Vehicle design and manufacturing (VDM)
Transport mode
Rail icon
Transport policies
Environmental/Emissions aspects
Transport sectors
Passenger transport,
Freight transport

Overview

Call for proposal
FP7-SST-2011-RTD-1
Link to CORDIS
Background & Policy context

ACOUTRAIN will simplify and improve the acoustic certification process of new rolling stock, in particular relating to the TSI Noise. Today the need of conformity assessment for a new vehicle according to the TSI Noise represents a significant element of both cost and time to market due to the need to carry out expensive and time consuming tests.

Objectives

The goal of the proposed project is to speed up the product authorisation by introducing some elements of virtual testing while retaining the same degree of reliability and accuracy. A successful simplification of the TSI conformity assessment process would result in a strengthening of the competitiveness of the European railway sector. The risk of not developing such a simplification would be that the expense of excessive certification of new products could hamper the introduction of new innovations.

Methodology

The major outcome of the ACOUTRAIN project will be a new certification process including some elements of virtual testing. This will be ready for inclusion in the next full revision of the TSI Noise, planned in 2013. The R&D work program will be implemented with the following objectives:

  • WP1: establishment of procedures for a virtual certification of acoustic performances of freight and passenger trains;
  • WP2: an improvement and harmonization of the rolling noise characterization process;
  • WP3: establishment of methodologies to measure other noises sources;
  • WP4: a methodology to validate global tools for pass-by noise and standstill noise predictions so that they can be used as part of future certification; and;
  • WP5: a validation of the procedure range for the virtual noise certification. A significant part of the project is dedicated to the relationship with the Notify Bodies and Authorities to ensure that the objectives of the project are well connected with their expectations.

Funding

Parent Programmes
Institution Type
Public institution
Institution Name
The European Commission
Type of funding
Public (EU)

Results

Noise certification to make railway vehicles quieter

EU researchers are developing a new noise certification process for freight and passenger trains. Quieter trains are better for the environment, particularly for people living close to railway lines.

Rail travel has a long history of noise control. However, in order to meet the EU's Technical Specification for Interoperability (TSI) on noise, each new railway vehicle must be subjected to necessary but expensive and time-consuming tests.

In order to reduce these costs, the acoustic certification process of new rolling stock needs to be simplified and improved. This was the aim of the http://www.acoutrain.eu/ (ACOUTRAIN) (Virtual certification of acoustic performance for freight and passenger trains) project, funded by the EU.

The project aimed to speed up product authorisation by introducing virtual testing features while retaining the same degree of reliability and accuracy of real-life testing. ACOUTRAIN also worked on harmonising the assessment of noise conformity across Europe by providing standard procedures.

Project members proposed specific procedures for a simplified method of noise certification and described them with flow charts. These charts indicate the steps required to check if the noise levels of new railway rolling stock are lower than or equivalent to those of a reference and certified vehicle.

In addition, ACOUTRAIN developed a virtual testing simulation tool for stationary and pass-by noise levels. It also worked on validating and verifying both the tools and methods in order to assign them acoustic source strengths. The team then pointed out more work that needed to be done in this area, highlighting the need to produce a cost-benefit analysis of different virtual testing scenarios in the future.

It will take time to introduce virtual testing into the TSI noise certification procedure and for it to gain wide acceptance. Once adopted, however, virtual testing is expected to achieve significant savings in cost and time, enhancing citizens' safety and comfort thanks to the certification of new, quieter railway vehicles.

Partners

Lead Organisation
Organisation
European Union Road Federation
Address
Avenue Louise 106, 1050 BRUXELLES, Belgium
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€210 624
Partner Organisations
Organisation
Vibratec
Address
28 Chemin Du Petit Bois, 69131 Ecully, France
EU Contribution
€227 249
Organisation
Deutsche Bahn Ag
Address
Postdamer Platz 2, 10785 BERLIN, Germany
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€111 330
Organisation
Kungliga Tekniska Hoegskolan
Address
Brinellvagen 8, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
EU Contribution
€115 068
Organisation
Bombardier Transportation Sweden Ab
Address
OSTRA RINGVAGEN 2, 721 73 VASTERAS, Sweden
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€198 750
Organisation
Sncf Mobilites
Address
9 RUE JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU, 93200 ST DENIS, France
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€221 346
Organisation
Fundacion Cidaut
Address
PLAZA VICENTE ALEIXANDRE CAMPOS 2 PQ TECNOLOGICO DE BOECILLO 209, 47151 VALLADOLID, Spain
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€129 323
Organisation
Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
Address
ANNA VAN BUERENPLEIN 1, 2595 DA DEN HAAG, Netherlands
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€151 500
Organisation
Rina Consulting Spa
Address
VIA SAN NAZARO 19, 16145 GENOVA, Italy
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€85 970
Organisation
Abb Secheron Sa
Address
Rue Des Sablieres 4-6 Voie 11 A, 1217 Meyrin, Switzerland
EU Contribution
€46 260
Organisation
Patentes Talgo Sl
Address
Paseo Del Tren Talgo 2, 28290 Las Rozas De Madrid, Spain
EU Contribution
€12 022
Organisation
University Of Southampton
Address
Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€240 851
Organisation
Ecole Centrale De Lyon
Address
AVENUE GUY DE COLLONGUE 36, 69134 ECULLY, France
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€97 500
Organisation
Dynamics,structures And Systems International Nv
Address
Jules Vandenbemptlaan 71, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
EU Contribution
€82 619
Organisation
Alstom Transport Sa
Address
48 RUE ALBERT DHALENNE, 93400 SAINT OUEN, France
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€160 808

Technologies

Technology Theme
Rail operations
Technology
Virtual modelling for acoustic certification of trains after design
Development phase
Research/Invention

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