title: Pressure variations on a train - Where is the threshold to railway passenger discomfort?
abstract: The implementation of recent guidelines for tunnel construction in Germany leads to extended air pressure variations inside trains and reduces pressure comfort for railway passengers. A questionnaire survey with 262 passengers revealed that pressure variations are rated less important for riding comfort than climatic and spatial aspects (study 1). A laboratory experiment (study 2) in the pressure chamber at the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine with 31 subjects (mean age = 37.7, SD = 12.7; 51.6% male) investigated the effects of systematic pressure variations on discomfort. The pressure changes (pressure increases and decreases) ranged from 1 to 100 mbar and were realized within 1-100 s. We derived thresholds for healthy passengers by means of random effects linear and logistic regression analysis. Logistic dose-response curves revealed amplitude/time combinations leading to a certain percentage of passengers perceiving discomfort (e.g. 50% dissatisfied passengers regarding a pressure increase of approximately 30 mbar within 5 s). The findings may help design engineers to meet passengers' comfort requirements.
authors.affiliation: German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Department of Flight Physiology, Linder Höhe, 51147 Cologne, Germany. Sandra.Schwanitz@dlr.de
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwanitz
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wittkowski
authors.forename: Vinzent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rolny
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000399:Air Pressure; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017288:Pain Threshold; D011890:Railroads; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult