Analysis of Relationship between Lateral Stability and Dynamic Characteristic of Continuous Welded Rail Track

Abstract

The axial buckling threshold force of continuous welded rail (CWR) depends on lateral stability of railway track. The conventional CWR buckling models are based on track static parameters and behavior. In this paper, a dynamic finite element model for investigating the relationship between the rail nature frequencies and the critical buckling axial force of CWR track is presented. This model consists of rails, sleepers and foundation, and covers factors of interest such as track curvature, supporting distance between adjoining sleepers. With the new dynamic model, numerical computations and analyses are performed. The correlations among the critical axial force of rail, the lateral stability and the nature frequencies of CWR track are studied. The computational results of the new dynamic model show a great agreement with the field testing results.