Building response due to subway train traffic

There are several existing methods for determining groundborne vibrations in buildings due to subway train traffic that are essentially based on empirically derived relationships. These methods are not able to handle buildings with unique foundations in unusual geological conditions with reasonable accuracy. The case in this study, which comprises a four-story podium block enclosing twin double-box tunnels within the confines of its ribbed-wall foundations, presents such a situation. In contrast, this paper presents a more accurate approach, which employs the finite-element method and is capable of modeling the complicated subway-soil-structure interaction problem. Furthermore, an analytical model is incorporated to provide the train-loading input. For verification, in situ measurements were taken, both at the tracks and within the building. The analytical results obtained showed reasonable conformity with the measurements taken.