Comprehensive validation of three-dimensional finite element modelling of wheel-rail high-frequency interaction via the V-Track test rig

Wheel-rail high-frequency interaction is closely related to the formation of railway short-wave defects. Finite element (FE) method has been widely used to simulate wheel-rail dynamic systems, but its validity in modelling high-frequency interaction has not been fully demonstrated in three dimensions (3D). This work aims at comprehensively...

Mechanism of short pitch rail corrugation: initial excitation and frequency selection for consistent initiation and growth

This paper proposes a new hypothesis for the formation process of short pitch rail corrugation. An FE wheel-track dynamic model is utilized to verify the hypothesis by reproducing corrugation initiation and consistent growth. It is found longitudinal compression modes are responsible for corrugation initiation with necessary initial...

Fast and robust identification of railway track stiffness from simple field measurement

We propose to combine a physics-based finite element (FE) track model and a data-driven Gaussian process regression (GPR) model to directly infer railpad and ballast stiffness from measured frequency response functions (FRF) by field hammer tests. Conventionally, only the rail resonance and full track resonance are used as the FRF features to...

An approach to determine a critical size for rolling contact fatigue initiating from rail surface defects

A methodology for the determination of a critical size of surface defects, above which RCF can initiate, has been developed and demonstrated with its application to the passive type of squats under typical Dutch railway loading conditions. Such a methodology is based on stress evaluation of transient rolling contact at the defects, for which...

Sensitivity analysis of railpad parameters on vertical railway track dynamics

This paper presents a sensitivity analysis of railpad parameters on vertical railway track dynamics, incorporating the nonlinear behavior of the fastening (i.e., downward forces compress the railpad whereas upward forces are resisted by the clamps). For this purpose, solid railpads, rail-railpad contact and preloaded springs are defined in a...

Monitoring bolt tightness of rail joints using axle box acceleration measurements

Rail joints are a weak component in railway tracks because of the large impact and wheel-rail contact forces. Every train passage contributes to the deterioration of rail joints, causing visible (e.g. battered rails) and invisible (e.g. loose bolts) damages. The invisible damage cannot be detected by the commonly performed visual inspection,...

Ensemble EMD-based automatic extraction of the catenary structure wavelength from the pantograph-catenary contact corce

This paper explores the use of pantograph-catenary contact force (PCCF) for monitoring of the current collection quality and detection of anomalies in the interaction between pantograph and catenary. The concept of catenary structure wavelength (CSW) is proposed as the dominant component of PCCF. It describes the signal components caused by the...

Experimental study of key parameters investigation in turnout crossing degradation process

The continuous increasing demand of public transportation capacity requires the railway network operating in tight schedule. The high transporting volumes not only aggravate the degradation of railway infrastructure but also shorten the time for maintenance. Well-arranged infrastructure maintenance contributes to the budget reduction and...

Experimental Investigation Into the Condition of Insulated Rail Joints by Impact Excitation

This paper presents a feasibility study to determine if the health condition of Insulated Rail Joints (IRJs) can be assessed by examining their dynamic response to impact excitation. First, a reference dynamic behavior is defined in the frequency domain of 50-1200 Hz based on field hammer test measurements performed on a IRJ baseline (i.e., a...