Analysis of vibration reduction effect of steel spring floating slab track with finite elements

Abstract

A model for dynamic analyses of a steel spring floating slab track is developed with finite elements. Based on the model, modal analyses are performed with respect to the different kinds of the density, the thickness and the length of the floating slab as well as the isolator stiffness. To comprehensively understand the vibration reduction effects of the steel spring floating slab track, the harmonic response analyses are carried out, and the influence of varying parameters upon the vibration reduction rate is investigated. The results show that the stiffness and the damping of the isolator are the governing factors, whereas the stiffness and the damping of the rail pad are generally not important. The reasonable values for the steel spring floating slab track should meet the requirements of 50–120 MN/m and ≥30 kN·s/m for rail pad stiffness and damping, 5–10 MN/m and 50–100 kN·s/m for isolator stiffness and isolator damping, and 1.25 m for isolator spacing, in order to achieve the satisfactory effect of vibration reduction.