Pressure variations on a train - Where is the threshold to railway passenger discomfort?

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.