The Barcelona metro is in the midst of an effort to reduce vibration nuisance in 14 tunnel sections.
Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) has announced the contracting of works worth one million euros in tunnels on lines 1, 2, 4 and 5, where vibrations above the permitted limits have been detected.
These works are in addition to the investments committed since 2022, amounting to 1.9 million euros, in an effort to improve the quality of life of residents and reduce the environmental impact.
The detection of vibrations above the maximum values established in Barcelona City Council’s environmental ordinance and in the Generalitat’s acoustic quality protection law has led TMB to take proactive measures to address this problem.
According to the company, these vibrations have been reported in residential and healthcare buildings in Barcelona and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat between 2022 and 2023, although some residents claim to have been experiencing these shocks for years, and even decades.
Barcelona subway invests in anti-vibration works
TMB’s planned investment includes the installation of fasteners, the renewal of soles and the replacement of other anti-vibration parts in tunnel sections totaling 2.5 kilometers on the affected lines. Despite the magnitude of these works, no service outages are expected, as the works will be carried out during the night.
Line 1 of the metro, which crosses the city of Barcelona from south to north, is the line that concentrates the largest number of intervention points to reduce surface vibrations.
Five tunnel sections have been identified in which work will be carried out, covering a total of 1,010 meters. In addition, modifications are planned on lines 2, 4 and 5, with the aim of improving the comfort of passengers and residents near these infrastructures.
An ongoing plan to improve the network
While work to contain vibrations is not new, TMB is committed to an ongoing plan to improve the network and reduce disruption to residents.
The utility assures that the thresholds of the vibration regulations are very low, allowing preventive intervention before they become a significant problem.
In addition to the physical works, TMB plans to install remote monitoring devices at eight points of the metro considered singular and sensitive, in order to have real-time information on the state of the materials and prevent possible future claims.
The goal is to ensure the comfort and safety of passengers and minimize the environmental impact on the communities near these vital infrastructures for the city.
