Vehicle/track impact due to passing the transition between a floating slab and ballasted track

Abstract

When a train runs over the transition between a floating slab track (FST) and ballasted track, wheel/rail impact forces arise because of the stiffness difference between the two kinds of track. A time-domain model is developed for the vehicle/track interaction and the characteristics of the impact are analyzed by numerical simulation using the model. Calculation results show that the wheel/rail impact load at the transition is moderate and its peak-to-peak value is only about 24 percent of the static load at a vehicle speed of 60 m/s. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.