Effect of Structure Parameters of Railway Track on Dynamic Behavior of Rail and Sleeper

A linear 3D finite element model(FEM) for a ballasted track is established,in which the rails,fastening systems,sleepers and ballast are considered respectively.The model is verified with the theoretical predicted results and the test results by D J Thompson.It is found that the results by the present track model are more close to the test results in high frequency range than those theoretically predicted by D J Thompson.This model is available for predicting the dynamic characteristics and noise radiation of the track.The influence of the track structure parameters on the vibration and acoustic characterizes of the track is analyzed in detail.The structure parameters include the material loss factor and the mass of rail,the pad loss factor and its vertical stiffness,the loss factor and the mass of sleeper,as well as the ballast loss factor and its vertical stuffiness.The numerical results indicate that the track structure parameters have different effects on the dynamic behavior of the track in different frequency ranges.The related numerical results will be very useful in the optimum design of railway track structure parameters to reduce the vibration and noise radiation of the track.