Key Characteristics of a Floating Slab Track Based on Longitudinal Interaction Analysis

Abstract

The passage of railway vehicles produces mechanical vibrations across an extensive range of frequencies. A floating slab track (FST) has recently been proposed and constructed in Korea to reduce the vibrations and noise that result from typical railway operation. The main objective of this study is to investigate the behavior of an FST by means of an interaction analysis of a track-slab-isolator. Key FST parameters considered in this study are additional rail stress, slab stress and displacement, and stopper displacement. The FST parameters include slab length and thickness, isolator stiffness, and longitudinal stiffness. The sensitivity of the key characteristics of each FST parameter is examined. This study also determines the maximum length of an FST based on the maximum additional rail stress criterion. Finally, a formula to predict maximum additional rail stress is proposed for the design of FST systems.