Keywords: high-speed railway, experiment, under sleeper pad, optimization, railway track, ballasted track.

Track-induced vibrations in railway systems present persistent challenges to track durability and environmental comfort, particularly under high-speed train operations. Conventional rail pads offer limited vibration attenuation, motivating the development of improved pad configurations. The aim of this study is to propose and evaluate a periodic mass-infused rail pad (PMIRP) for enhanced vibration control in ballastless railway tracks, with its performance assessed relative to a conventional rail pad (CRP). Experimental investigations are conducted using a reduced-scale ballastless track model subjected to dynamic loading through a servo-controlled hydraulic actuator, simulating train speeds in the range of 150–300 km/h. To support the experimental observations, a mathematical dynamic model is developed to describe the vibration behaviour of the PMIRP. In addition, finite element models are established to validate the predicted dynamic responses. The embedded steel masses within the hollow cavities of the PMIRP are designed to function as local resonators, interacting with the track system to suppress vibration transmission. An H? optimisation approach is further employed to determine the optimal natural frequency ratio and resonator damping ratio for effective vibration reduction. The results demonstrate that the periodic mass configuration significantly enhances vibration attenuation, achieving a maximum reduction in acceleration response of up to 32.67% over the investigated speed range when compared with the CRP. The optimised PMIRP consistently outperforms the conventional design across all tested operating conditions. The findings confirm that the proposed PMIRP provides superior vibration mitigation and represents a promising solution for improving the dynamic performance of high-speed railway track systems.

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