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In order to determine the actual circumstances of wayside low-frequency noise and infrasound generated by high-speed trains (Shinkansen), field measurements were performed at two sites, one near a tunnel portal and the other in a fully opened section. The measurements were based upon the manual issued by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan in October 2000 and conducted to obtain G-weighted SPL, 1/3-octave band spectra, velocity dependence and distance attenuation of SPL. The measured results show that major components of the low-frequency noise from the tunnel portal are impulsive micro-pressure waves and continuous pressure waves, while those in the open section are near-field hydrodynamic pressure variations and far-field acoustic pressure waves.

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