Determination of dynamic amplification factors for heavy haul railways. (February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Xin; Yang, Jizhong; An, Boyang; Liu, Chao; Cao, Yabo; Wen, Zefeng; Jin, Xuesong
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Volume 232:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 514
• Page End: 528
• Publication Date: 2018-02
• Subjects: 40-Tonne axle load -- heavy haul track -- dynamic design -- dynamic amplification factor -- vehicle–track interaction; Railroads -- Periodicals; Personal rapid transit -- Periodicals; 625.1
• DOI: 10.1177/0954409716679203
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-4097

Abstract

A new approach has been developed to determine the dynamic amplification factors of railways. This approach employs a traditional multi-body dynamic model of vehicle–track interaction and a 3D explicit finite element model of wheel–rail rolling contact to treat the low- and high-frequency dynamics, respectively. Excitations are considered by contact surface unevenness and more specifically, by the power spectrum density of track irregularity for the low-frequency analysis and by the critical wheel flat, weld, and rail corrugation for the high frequency. For the 40-tonne axle load heavy haul railway simulated in this work, it has been found that the optimum fastening stiffness should be 150–200 MN/m; the dynamic amplification factors of the wheel–rail contact, fastening, and ballast forces are 1.94, 2.0, and 1.67, respectively, if the fastening stiffness of 200 MN/m is applied. Finally, new dynamic amplification factor formulae that include key parameters such as the fastening stiffness, speed, and axle load are proposed for the heavy haul railway design.