Experimental analysis of airwave propagation and attenuation in railway track hardening using explosives

The study of airwave propagation and attenuation arising from explosive hardening of railway crossings is of paramount importance for the dual objective of safeguarding surrounding infrastructure and ensuring compliance with increasingly stringent environmental acoustic standards. Through a meticulously designed experimental campaign involving controlled detonation sequences and high-fidelity overpressure monitoring at varied radial distances, this work dissects the complex dynamics governing the spatial decay of airblast energy. The transformation of raw pressure data into sound pressure levels (adjusted from unweighted decibel levels to A-weighted metrics) enabled a rigorous evaluation against applicable normative thresholds. The results revealed marked nonlinearities in wave attenuation, with patterns that suggest a strong influence of the detonation array geometry and of site-specific atmospheric and topographic conditions. However, the present dataset does not allow a quantitative separation of these contributions. Empirical attenuation laws, though broadly consistent, exhibited site-dependent discrepancies that underscore the limitations of generalized predictive formulations. These findings not only expose critical parameters influencing acoustic energy dissipation but also advocate for the integration of localized correction coefficients into propagation models. Considering the observed complexities, this research underscores the necessity for a multidisciplinary methodological framework (one that harmonizes precision in explosive deployment with nuanced environmental modeling) to attain both operational efficacy and regulatory conformity in the context of explosive railway infrastructure reinforcement.