Instrumentation Techniques for Studying the Horizontal Behavior of High-Speed Railways

Abstract

AimIn recent years the Spanish Geotechnical Laboratory of CEDEX (Centro de Estudios y Experimentación de Obras Públicas) has developed for ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias) a series of monitoring techniques (with different types of sensors) to be used in combination with numerical models in order to define the vertical dynamic behavior of the track structure in high-speed railways. Currently we are extending our work with the purpose of monitoring and studying also the horizontal response of the track superstructure. In this contribution we present our methods for measuring vertical and horizontal displacements and loads on the rail in high-speed railways. MethodNumerical models have been used to evaluate results from different instrumentation configurations that have been designed to measure horizontal displacements and loads on the rail. Several tests in the CEDEX real scale track box facility have also been carried out. The obtained data have been interpreted in the light of the numerical models. In this way we have been able to pick out the best configurations, which have been later put in a real high-speed rail section. Besides, we have studied relationships between simultaneous measurements of horizontal force on the rail and horizontal rail-sleeper relative displacement. A good correlation between both parameters has been observed. New tests are being carried out in the CEDEX real scale track box facility with the purpose of optimizing the developed techniques and improving the numerical model calibration. ResultsWith all these techniques we are improving the knowledge of different railway sections (sections with significant thickness of ballast, transitions slab track - ballasted track, sections with bituminous sub-ballast, etc.), and optimizing their design. New techniques for analyzing the horizontal behavior of high-speed railways have been developed based on numerical models and different tests carried out in the CEDEX real scale track box facility.