Numerical studies on the radiation of micro-pressure wave noise at the tunnel exits

To effectively control the micro-pressure wave noise radiating from tunnel exits, numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the generation and propagation of such noise at the exits of high-speed metro tunnels. Large-eddy simulation was employed to obtain the near-field unsteady flow field data at the tunnel exit. The Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW–H) acoustic analogy was used to predict the types of sound sources for micro-pressure wave noise. The unsteady flow field data were also utilized for finite element method acoustic analysis to calculate the far-field radiation of micro-pressure wave noise. The accuracy of the numerical methods was verified through moving model tests. The results indicate that dipole noise dominates within the micro-pressure wave noise. The tunnel's inner wall contributes most to the dipole sound sources. Dipole noise radiates outward in the form of semi-ellipsoidal waves, with energy mainly concentrated below 20 Hz and a peak frequency of 4 Hz. Furthermore, the decay of dipole noise in the direction of the tunnel exit follows a similar exponential decay pattern to that of an explosion shock wave. When the train speed exceeds 400 km/h, the human ear can distinctly perceive the sonic booms at the tunnel exit.