FEM models for jointed railway tracks and a loading test method on test tracks composed of a single rail fastening system at rail joints

Abstract

This study aims to establish a loading test method on test tracks composed of a single rail fastening at rail joints. The authors construct FEM models for railway tracks which represent the rail joint parts accurately and perform the FEM analysis. The FEM results are in good agreements with the results of a loading test on a test track composed of plural rail fastenings. Based on the FEM model, the authors proposed the loading test method on test tracks composed of a single rail fastening and compared the test results of a single rail fastening and plural rail fastenings. As a results, it becomes clear that rail head displacements and rail tilting angles obtained from a single rail fastening are in good agreement with those obtained from the plural rail fastenings. Therefore the proposed method of loading test on a test track composed of a single rail fastening based on the FEM model is available to evaluate the performance of the rail fastenings systems of rail joints.

Keywords

• railway track
• rail joint
• rail fastening system
• performance test
• loading condition
• fem