A dynamic analysis of a continuous welded rail track under a longitudinal stress caused by temperature changes

Abstract

This article presents a dynamic computational model for analysing the correlation between rail's natural frequencies and the longitudinal stress generated by temperature variation. The model includes a rail, sleepers, and the foundation. Some factors such as the rail section profile, rail wear, and the stiffness of fasteners are also considered. Based on the model, numerical computational analyses are performed. The relationship between the rail's longitudinal temperature force and the natural frequency is also studied. The influences of parameters such as the wear of the rail, unsupported distance of adjoining sleepers, fastener stiffness, rail types, and foundation stiffness are investigated. A field experiment is also presented that was performed to investigate the relationship between the rail's dynamic characteristics and the longitudinal stress generated by temperature variation with various unsupported sleeper spacings. The results of analysis and in-field measurements are compared.

Keywords

continuous welded rail track dynamic characteristics longitudinal stress finite-element method

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