Evaluation of Train Running Safety on Railway Cable-Stayed Bridge During Seismic Excitation

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate the dynamic interaction between a cable-stayed bridge (CSB) and operating trains during earthquakes. A three-dimensional finite element modeling approach has been used to analyze the H-shaped pylon CSB along with soil–pile interaction. The train model has been developed using a dynamic system having 10 degrees of freedom. The contact forces between the wheels and the track illustrate the dynamic interaction between the bridge and the train. A Matlab program has been built to receive train–bridge interaction responses. The nonlinear dynamic analysis was performed on CSB using the Bhuj earthquake time history. The structure’s response can then be used to assess the safety of running trains during seismic activity. The dynamic response of the train–bridge interaction system, including the derailment and offloading variables related to the train’s running safety, is evaluated using varied spectral acceleration scaling. The results demonstrate that the acceleration response of the train during seismic events is substantially higher than when there are no earthquake inputs. The operating train’s safety is influenced by both the intensity of the earthquake and the train’s running speed. The operating safety of a moving train during a seismic event is guaranteed by the threshold curve. The proposed bridge modeling technique and simulated results prove that the proposed formulation can accurately envisage dynamic train responses with acceptable computational errors.