Studying the railroad track geometry deterioration as a result of an uneven subsidence of the ballast layer

Abstract

A method for calculating impairment of the track geometry under influence of dynamic loads in the course of passing the track unevenness by the rolling stock was developed. The method takes into consideration interrelated short-term processes of dynamic interaction and long-term processes of subsidence of the ballast layer in a mutual influence on each other. Mathematical model of dynamic interaction of the track in the form of a planar three-layer continual beam system with a two-mass discrete system corresponding to the rolling stock is the basis of the first part of the method. This model makes it possible to simulate dynamic loads from individual sleepers to the ballast when the rolling stock passes geometric unevennesses and the track elasticity unevennesses. The second part of the method is based on the phenomenological mathematical model of accumulation of residual deformations formed using the results of laboratory studies of subsidence of individual sleepers in the ballast layer. Peculiarity of this model consists in taking into consideration not only uniform accumulation of residual subsidence from the passed tonnage but also presence of a plastic component of subsidence which depends on the maximum stresses in the history of ballast loading by each sleeper. A new theoretical mechanism of development of the track unevenness was proposed. It takes into consideration not only residual subsidences of the ballast layer but also appearance of gaps under sleepers resulting in a local change of the track elasticity. This mechanism enables taking into consideration the ambiguous influence of subsidences with occurrence of gaps under the sleepers. Subsidence causes an increase in dynamic loads on the track and the ballast layer on the one hand and onset of the gap causes a decrease in the track rigidity and corresponding reduction of dynamic loads on the other hand. Practical application of the developed method was demonstrated on an example of quantitative estimation of long-term uneven subsidences of the ballast layer when changing the sleeper diagram.