Running Safety of a High-Speed Train Through a Multi-Span Bridge under a Non-Uniform Moderate Earthquake

Abstract

<p>The train-track-bridge system is significantly excited, even by a moderate earthquake. Therefore, the running safety of the train under an earthquake should be studied to prevent the derailment during its operation. This work investigates the running safety of a high-speed train moving through a multi-span bridge and excited by a non-uniform moderate earthquake. The track-bridge system is modelled by three-dimensional finite element method. Each train vehicle has 27 degrees-of-freedom and is described by the rigid bodies linked by suspensions. The stationary random track irregularities are generated using the empirical one-sided power spectral density functions. The non-uniform seismic excitations are applied to the bridge piers using the large mass method. The derailment factor and the offload factor is used to evaluate the running safety of the train.</p>