Title: Effects of sleeper support modulus on dynamic behaviour of railway tracks caused by moving wagon

Authors: Jabbar-Ali Zakeri; Morteza Esmaeili; Seyed-Ali Mosayebi

Addresses: School of Railway Engineering, The Center of Excellence in Railway Transportation, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak 1684613114, Tehran, Iran ' School of Railway Engineering, The Center of Excellence in Railway Transportation, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak 1684613114, Tehran, Iran ' School of Railway Engineering, The Center of Excellence in Railway Transportation, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak 1684613114, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: Up to now, the effects of sleeper support modulus on the dynamic behaviour of railway tracks have attracted little attention from researchers. So the current study is allocated to investigating the issue through numerical simulations and field tests. For vehicle/track finite element simulations, a wagon system with 10 degrees-of-freedom, including car-body, bogies and wheel-sets, is considered in conjunction with the ballasted track components. In ballasted track modelling, the rails are connected to sleepers with fastening systems and each sleeper is considered as a beam on the viscoelastic foundation. In the field tests program, the ballasted track response is measured under the moving wagon. Comparing the numerical and field test results, good agreement is observed. Finally using the validated numerical model, the effects of sleeper support modulus and sleeper Young's modulus are investigated on the dynamic behaviour of railway track and many practical equations are presented in this regard.

Keywords: railway tracks; sleeper support modulus; numerical models; wagon model; finite element method; field test investigations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.2017.084852

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 2017 Vol.24 No.3, pp.277 - 287

Received: 18 Dec 2015
Accepted: 29 Apr 2016
Published online: 01 Jul 2017 *

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