Tuned dampers in railway track – Recent developments, challenges, and future prospects- a review

Noise and vibration caused by a train’s passage have been one of the main problems in the railway industry, which disturb the residents in the vicinity, and can damage surrounding buildings. To solve this problem several technologies have been developed in both railway superstructure and substructure. One of the most effective solutions which can be used in superstructures is rail dampers. This paper aims to comprehensively review different types of rail damper, recent developments through Tuned Dampers, and describe challenges to more widespread adoptions. Limitations of using tuned dampers include temperature sensitivity, long-term performance data limitation, installation and geometric limitations, and manufacturing errors. This study also presents potential approaches that can be used to overcome challenges in the adoption and utilization of tuned rail dampers. Furthermore, several perspectives and suggestions for future research are mentioned.