New experimental evidences of corrugation formation due to rail longitudinal vibration mode

This paper aims at identifying the formation mechanism of short pitch rail corrugation using an improved configuration of a 1/5 scaled V-Track test rig. The loading conditions of the V-Track are designed to simulate the wheel-rail dynamic interactions on the tangent track. Corrugation initiation and consistent growth are successfully produced...

Parametric investigation of railway fastenings into the formation and mitigation of short pitch corrugation

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...

An integrated 3D dynamic FE vehicle-track model in elasto-plasticity to investigate short pitch corrugation under cyclic wheel loads

The mechanism of rail short pitch corrugation has remained elusive in the past. The damage mechanisms of the corrugation are reported to be differential wear or plastic deformation. The former has been extensively studied, while the plastic deformation, especially under multiple wheel passages has been seldom studied. To uncover the facts...

Experimental study on the development mechanism of short pitch corrugation using a downscale V-Track test rig

This paper presents an experimental study on the development mechanism of short pitch corrugation using an innovative downscale V-Track test rig. Rail corrugation is reproduced in the V-Track with two wavelengths of 6.4 mm and 8.9 mm. Based on the measured wheel-rail contact forces, track dynamic behaviors, and observations, the consistent...

Short pitch corrugation mitigation by rail constraint design

Short pitch corrugation is a quasi-periodic rail defect that induces a high level of noise and accelerates track degradation. This paper proposes a methodology to mitigate short pitch corrugation by rail constraint design, including four steps. In Step 1, corrugation is numerically reproduced by employing a three-dimensional (3D) finite...

New insights into the short pitch corrugation development enigma based on 3D-FE dynamic vehicle-track coupled modelling in frictional rolling contact

A three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) dynamic frictional rolling contact model is presented for the study of short pitch corrugation that considers direct and instantaneous coupling between the contact mechanics and the structural dynamics in a vehicle-track system. In this study, we examine the system responses in terms of vibration...