Collision derailments on bridges containing ballastless slab tracks. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ling, Liang; Dhanasekar, Manicka; Wang, Kaiyun; Zhai, Wanming; Weston, Bill
• Is Part Of: Engineering failure analysis. Volume 105(2019)
• Page Start: 869
• Page End: 882
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: Railway bridges -- Collison -- Derailment -- Train–track–bridge interaction -- Slab-track; System failures (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Fracture mechanics -- Periodicals; Reliability (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Pannes -- Périodiques; Rupture, Mécanique de la -- Périodiques; Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Fracture mechanics; Reliability (Engineering); System failures (Engineering); Periodicals; Electronic journals; 620.112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2019.07.042
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-6307

Abstract

Abstract: Train derailment on bridges is an infrequent event, yet when it occurs, it's usually catastrophic. These incidents can toss-out part of the derailed train from the bridge deck and collapse whole or a part of the bridge. Understanding the derailment mechanisms of trains on bridges and identifying the dynamic characteristics of bridges subjected to the impact of the derailed train is fundamental to minimising severities of these incidents. This paper presents the formulation of a train-track-bridge interaction model for predicting the response of bridges under in-service operation and post-derailment behaviour. The model is used to illustrate the collision induced derailment mechanisms of a passenger train travelling on a box girder bridge; the effect of impact due to the derailed train to the dynamic response of the bridge is also narrated. The nonlinear behaviour of the train-track-bridge system under derailment impacts is detailed through the sensitivity of the wheel/rail contact and the suspension components of the train as well as the parameters of the slab-track. It is shown that the risk of the derailed vehicles being tossed out of the slab-track bridge is high although the bridge deformation and bending moment are low. Highlights: Train crashing onto obstacle on bridge deck and subsequent derailment investigated. Rail bridge containing slab-track and passenger train were considered. Explicit displacement method was used to assess derailment of wheelset from rail. Post derailment response of trains and bridge deck investigated. Derailment impact vibration is larger in slab-track than the ballast track bridges.