Prediction and Assessment of Environmental Vibrations from Railway Operations on Marmaray

Marmaray project involves upgrading of commuter lines on both sides of Bosphorus with an uninterrupted, modern, high-capacity commuter rail system. The line totals approximately 76 km including an immersed tunnel under Bosphorus. In this study prediction and assessment of environmental vibration levels due to railway traffic along 20-km portion between Gebze and Pendik on the Asian side are presented. Experimentally obtained existing soil-structure coupling and structural amplification factors for the whole line are applied to the theoretically calculated vibration levels for use in assessment studies. Vibration mitigation measures are devised with respect to Turkish Environmental Noise Regulation and criteria by the Federal Transit Administration.