Abstract
Track quality is a determinant factor for evaluating the overall performance of vehicle track interaction with respect to safety, ride quality and maintenance. Important parameters specifying the general quality of the track include track geometry (undamped) and track stiffness (damped), which can be evaluated by measurements taken along with track sections. A new co-simulation model based on Finite Element Method (FEM) and Multi Body Simulation (MBS) is built for the detailed description of track quality and its contribution to vehicle track interaction without simplifying the track structure as interconnected single elements. The simulation models and tools have been validated with the help of measured track geometry, track stiffness and dynamic wheel rail forces along the track sections of high speed lines. A comparative study between high speed lines using conventional ballasted track and ballastless track showed a significantly better quality in ballastless track sections. The dynamic forces which were determined by simulations and verified by measurements along the ballastless track section were comparatively less than the specified limits by German regulations for ballastless track design. Lower levels of dynamic forces can be utilized for optimization of track design and installation procedures with respect to lower initial costs.
Highlights
The contribution of sub-system and sub-system configuration of ballastless tracks with respect to the dynamic vertical wheel rail forces is studied. It provides a systematic solution for the research based on vehicle track interaction by distinguishing the effects coming from track excitation and the effects coming from track stiffness
A real-time modelling is realized by using the co-simulation of Finite Element Method (FEM) and Multi Body Simulation (MBS) for understanding the track sided parameters to the overall performance of vehicle track interaction
These track sided parameters are generally defined by the term “track quality” which contains two main aspects: track geometry, and track stiffness
Summary
The term “track quality” describes the conformance of actual alignment of wheel-rail contact point of the loaded. The contribution of sub-system (e.g. fastening systems) and sub-system configuration of ballastless tracks with respect to the dynamic vertical wheel rail forces is studied. It provides a systematic solution for the research based on vehicle track interaction by distinguishing the effects coming from track excitation (plastic, undamped) and the effects coming from track stiffness (elastic, damped). In order to achieve a dynamic behavior in the system, a vehicle-track interaction model based on both FiniteElement-Method (FEM) and the Multi-Body-Simulation (MBS) was built. These numerical procedures focus on the track foundation, quasi-static and dynamic performance of the track superstructure. Additional movable spring-damper pairs were created under each wheel for the calculation of the wheel-rail contact force
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