On 18-21 May 2026, the UIC Sustainability Department participated in the Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2026 in Budapest. Here, ongoing activities from the Noise and Vibration Sector and the Land-Use Sector were presented through two technical posters focused on sustainable railway infrastructure management:

• “Addressing rail roughness in noise management: Insights from the UIC ACORD Project”

  

• “Valuing nature in rail infrastructure: Applying the ECOV4R Framework in the UK and Spain”

  

• ERJU Symbiosis project oral presentations and posters (see more information)

“Addressing rail roughness in noise management: Insights from the UIC ACORD Project”
The UIC ACOustics of Reprofiling and onboarRD monitoring of rail roughness (ACORD) project highlighted UIC’s collaborative work with 14 infrastructure managers, the Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), and VibraTec on improving railway noise management through enhanced rail roughness monitoring and acoustic assessment methodologies.

The key focus was the development of an auralisation model combining wheel-track parameters with roughness data to simulate pass-by railway noise before and after reprofiling work. Through this, controlled comparisons of rail surface conditions can be made and more accurate evaluation of acoustic performance supported. The project also presented ongoing listening tests involving more than 100 participants to assess perceived annoyance, tonality, and overall acoustic quality using simulated railway noise samples. These activities aim to strengthen the link between technical rail roughness parameters and human perception of railway noise.

Building on these results, the ACORD project is currently developing two International Railway Solutions (IRS):

• Technical guidelines for on-board measurement systems for rail acoustic roughness
• Indicator for the acoustic quality of reprofiling

These activities support the harmonisation of rail roughness monitoring and acoustic assessment practices across the railway sector while contributing to more effective and sustainable railway noise mitigation strategies.

“Valuing nature in rail infrastructure: Applying the ECOV4R Framework in the UK and Spain”
This work showcased the activities of the UIC Sustainable Land-Use Sector related to biodiversity, ecosystem services, and sustainable infrastructure planning. Through pilot studies in the UK and Spain, the poster highlighted how the UIC Ecosystem Valuation for Railways (ECOV4R) Project framework supports the integration of ecosystem valuation and natural capital considerations into railway infrastructure projects and land management practices.

Together, these activities demonstrate UIC’s continued commitment to supporting sustainable, environmentally responsible, and scientifically grounded approaches to railway infrastructure management across Europe. UIC looks forward to the next edition of the TRA, which will take place in Milan from 5-8 June 2028.