TY - JOUR
T1 - Parametric investigation of railway fastenings into the formation and mitigation of short pitch corrugation
AU - Zhang, Pan
AU - Li, Shaoguang
AU - Dollevoet, Rolf
AU - Li, Zili
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Short pitch corrugation has been a problem for railways worldwide over one century. In this paper, a parametric investigation of fastenings is conducted to understand the corrugation formation mechanism and gain insights into corrugation mitigation. A three-dimensional finite element vehicle–track dynamic interaction model is employed, which considers the coupling between the structural dynamics and the contact mechanics, while the damage mechanism is assumed to be differential wear. Various fastening models with different configurations, boundary conditions, and parameters of stiffness and damping are built up and analysed. These models may represent different service stages of fastenings in the field. Besides, the effect of train speeds on corrugation features is studied. The results indicate: (1) Fastening parameters and modelling play an important role in corrugation formation. (2) The fastening longitudinal constraint to the rail is the major factor that determines the corrugation formation. The fastening vertical and lateral constraints influence corrugation features in terms of spatial distribution and wavelength components. (3) The strengthening of fastening constraints in the longitudinal dimension helps to mitigate corrugation. Meanwhile, the inner fastening constraint in the lateral direction is necessary for corrugation alleviation. (4) The increase in fastening longitudinal stiffness and damping can reduce the vibration amplitudes of longitudinal compression modes and thus reduce the track corrugation propensity. The simulation in this work can well explain the field corrugation in terms of the occurrence possibility and major wavelength components. It can also explain the field data with respect to the small variation between the corrugation wavelength and train speed, which is caused by frequency selection and jump between rail longitudinal compression modes.
AB - Short pitch corrugation has been a problem for railways worldwide over one century. In this paper, a parametric investigation of fastenings is conducted to understand the corrugation formation mechanism and gain insights into corrugation mitigation. A three-dimensional finite element vehicle–track dynamic interaction model is employed, which considers the coupling between the structural dynamics and the contact mechanics, while the damage mechanism is assumed to be differential wear. Various fastening models with different configurations, boundary conditions, and parameters of stiffness and damping are built up and analysed. These models may represent different service stages of fastenings in the field. Besides, the effect of train speeds on corrugation features is studied. The results indicate: (1) Fastening parameters and modelling play an important role in corrugation formation. (2) The fastening longitudinal constraint to the rail is the major factor that determines the corrugation formation. The fastening vertical and lateral constraints influence corrugation features in terms of spatial distribution and wavelength components. (3) The strengthening of fastening constraints in the longitudinal dimension helps to mitigate corrugation. Meanwhile, the inner fastening constraint in the lateral direction is necessary for corrugation alleviation. (4) The increase in fastening longitudinal stiffness and damping can reduce the vibration amplitudes of longitudinal compression modes and thus reduce the track corrugation propensity. The simulation in this work can well explain the field corrugation in terms of the occurrence possibility and major wavelength components. It can also explain the field data with respect to the small variation between the corrugation wavelength and train speed, which is caused by frequency selection and jump between rail longitudinal compression modes.
KW - Corrugation formation and mitigation
KW - Fastening modelling and parameters
KW - Finite element vehicle–track interaction model
KW - Rail longitudinal compression modes
KW - Short pitch corrugation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85187944143&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s40534-024-00332-w
DO - 10.1007/s40534-024-00332-w
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85187944143
SN - 2662-4745
JO - Railway Engineering Science
JF - Railway Engineering Science
ER -