USE OF A COMPUTATIONAL MODEL FOR ASSESSING DYNAMICAL BEHAVIOUR OF RAILWAY STRUCTURE

The railway structure is the mechanical system compounded of both vehicles and track and its foundation. The track itself is constituted not only of the rails and sleepers, but also of the various available supporting structures (slabs, bridges. The scope of the present study is more particularly dedicated to the dynamical behaviour of the track and its foundation. An original numerical method, including a proper modeling of track geometry irregularities, has been built to compute the movements of the structure under progressing loads. Applications presented here are restricted to some cases in the field of track component like comparison of sleeper types or influence of foundation constitution on ground vibration spreading. This theory and the associated program are still being developed. The final aim is to offer research or project engineer a specific tool to evaluate more easily influence of key design parameter (masses, inertias, stiffness, depth of foundation layers) for a satisfactory static and dynamic behaviour.

Keywords:

Dynamic behaviour , Track & its foundation , Track geometry , Numerical method