Pressure-loads in high-speed tunnels: Study of the pressure loads on safety doors in high-speed tunnels using model scale experiments and numerical simulations

1. General problem: Pressure waves in railway tunnels may lead to high loads on installations inside of the tunnel. Discussed will be the influence of the shape and size of the cavity around a safety door on the pressure gradients and loads the door inside a high-speed railway tunnels. 2. Experimental study: Using a moving-model rig, the influence of the geometries of train and tunnel was investigated. The pressure at 20 different positions along the 10-14m long tunnel is measured, as well as the pressure at the four edges of a generic safety door. 4 different surroundings of the door were studied. 3. Numerical study and comparison: Pressure waves and therefore loads on installations were studied using 1D- and 3D-CFD. For comparison purposes, the geometries of train and tunnel used in the experimental study were analysed numerical. Some additional configurations like a very long tunnel, which was not be able to be studied experimentally, was considered. At least, the experimental and numerical results are compared resulting in a quite good agreement. Enlarging the cavity in the leads to a further increase in the pressure loads because of several reflections of the waves inside of this cavity.