THEORETICAL MODEL FOR EVALUATING THE VIBRATIONAL OUTPUT AND THUS THE URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF A PUBLIC TRANSIT RAILWAY TRACK.

Urban railway transit is one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly means of transport in the modern European city. There is a significant incentive for municipalities in Europe to construct new urban railways as the latter combine high energy efficiency with high carrying capacity. One of the main arguments in opposition to expanding existing urban rail networks is the noise and vibration impact of the new line on the surrounding area. This paper addresses the issue by means of formulating a theoretical model for urban railways' vibrational output evaluation. The aim is to provide key insights in the field of assessing the practical environmental impact that a newly installed public transit urban railway line has on the urban environment. Results obtained by this study can be used as input data in future impact assessments for public intentions of investment in the field of urban railway transit infrastructure systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]