Abstract
Abrupt stiffness variations along the railway track may increase the geometrical and mechanical defects of railway lines. The conjunction points of a railway track with concrete and ballast pavements, which are called slab-ballasted track transitions, are one of the main areas where vertical track stiffness changes sharply. Therefore, the potential benefits of a combined transition system along the slab-ballasted transition, made of an approach slab and additional rails, are studied in this paper. For this purpose, a vehicle-track-substructure interaction model, which included three main segments of the railway track (slab track, transition zone, and ballasted track) was programmed based on the finite element method. A test line with the mentioned combined transition system was built to measure the railway track responses through field study. Then, the three-dimensional (3D) numerical model was validated using the results obtained from the experimental tests. Afterwards, a number of parametric studies were performed to analyze the dynamic responses of the combined transition zone. The results indicated that this type of transition system promotes a smoother stiffness transition between the slab track segment and the ballasted track segment by making the transition in three gradual steps. The track displacements in the analyzed case-study gradually increased by about 22%, 28%, and 34% along the combined transition zone in the junction points of the slab and ballasted tracks.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Aggestam E, Nielsen J (2019) Multi-objective optimisation of transition zones between slab track and ballasted track using a genetic algorithm. Journal of Sound and Vibration 446:91–112, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsv.2019.01.027
Arlaud E, Costa D’Aguiar S, Balmès E, Faussurier G (2016) Numerical study of railway track dynamics: Case of a transition zone. Proceedings of the third international conference on railway technology: Research, development and maintenance, Cagliari, Italy 1–20
Bhatti MA (2005) Fundamental finite element analysis and applications: With mathematica and matlab computations. John Wiley & Sons Inc, 1st edition, New Jersey, United States
Coelho BZ, Hicks MA (2015) Numerical analysis of railway transition zones in soft soil. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 230(6):1601–1613, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0954409715605864
Costa D’Aguiar S, Arlaud E, Potvin R, Laurans E, Funfschillling C (2015) Railway transitional zones: A case history from ballasted to ballastless track. International Journal of Railway Technology 3(1): 37–61, DOI: https://doi.org/10.4203/ijrt.3.1.2
Esmaeili M, Heydari-Noghabi H, Kamali M (2020) Numerical investigation of railway transition zones stiffened with auxiliary rails. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Transport 173(5):299–308, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/jtran.17.00035
Fei J, Xiao J, Jie Y, Han K, Yang C (2019) In-situ test study on compaction control parameters for particular subdivisional railway earthworks. International Journal of Pavement Engineering 22(10):1295–1304, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2019.1683177
Haoyu W (2018) Measurement, assessment, analysis and improvement of transition zones in railway track. PhD Thesis, Delft University of Technology, DOI: https://doi.org/10.4233/uuid:73830b2c-deb1-4da9-b19c-5e848c5cfa4d
Heydari H, Zakeri JA, Esmaeili M (2022) Evaluating the elastic sleeper efficiency in reduction of railway ground vibrations by in situ impact-response test. International Journal of Vehicle Noise and Vibration 17(3–4):237–252, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJVNV.2022.10046110
Heydari-Noghabi H, Varandas JN, Esmaeili M, Zakeri J (2017) Investigating the influence of auxiliary rails on dynamic behavior of railway transition zone by a 3D train-track interaction model. Latin American Journal of Solids and Structure 14(11):2000–2018, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1679-78253906
Heydari-Noghabi H, Zakeri JA, Esmaeili M, Varandas JN (2018) Field study using additional rails and an approach slab as a transition zone from slab track to the ballasted track. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 232(4):970–978, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0954409717708527
Hughes TJR (2003) The finite element method. Dover Publications Inc, New York, United States
Kuhlemeyer RL, Lysmer J (1973) Finite element method accuracy for wave propagation problems. Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundations Division, 99(5):421–427
Lankarani HM, Nikravesh PE (1990) A contact force model with hysteresis damping for impact analysis of multibody systems. ASME Journal of Mechanical Design 112:369–376, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2912617
Lei X, Zhang B (2010) Influence of track stiffness distribution on vehicle and track interactions in track transition. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 224(6):592–604, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1243/09544097JRRT318
Lysmer J, Kuhlemeyer RL (1969) Finite dynamic model for infinite media. Journal of the Engineering Mechanics Division 95(4):859–77, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/JMCEA3.0001144
MATLAB (2010) version 7.10.0 (R2010a). Natick, Massachusetts: The MathWorks Inc.
Miller K, Joldes G, Lance D, Wittek A (2007) Total Lagrangian explicit dynamics finite element algorithm for computing soft tissue deformation. Communications in Numerical Methods in Engineering 23(2):121–134, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cnm.887
Ngamkhanong C, Ming QY, Li T, Kaewunruen S (2020) Dynamic train-track interactions over railway track stiffness transition zones using baseplate fastening systems. Engineering Failure Analysis 118:104866, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2020.104866
Paixão A, Fortunato E, Calcada R (2013) Design and construction of backfills for railway track transition zones. Proceeding of Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 229(1): 58–70, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0954409713499016
Paixão A, Fortunato E, Calcada R (2013) Design and construction of backfills for railway track transition zones. Proceeding of Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 229(1):58–70, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0954409713499016
Paixão A, Ribeiro CA, Pinto N, Fortunato E, Calçada R (2015) On the use of under sleeper pads in transition zones at railway underpasses: Experimental field testing. Structure and Infrastructure Engineering 11(2):112–128, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15732479.2013.850730
Real T, Zamorano C, Hernández, García JA, Real JI (2016) Static and dynamic behavior of transitions between different railway track typologies. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering 20(4):1356–1364, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-015-0635-2
Sañudo R, Dell’Olio L, CasadoJosé JA, Diego S (2016) Track transitions in railways: A review. Construction and Building Materials 112:140–157, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.02.084
Sasaoka D, Davies D (2005) Implementing track transition solutions for heavy axle load service. AREMA 2005, Corpus ID: 197675494
Shahraki M, Warnakulasooriya C, Witt KJ (2015) Numerical study of transition zone between ballasted and ballastless railway track. Transportation Geotechnics 3:58–67, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2015.05.001
Thölken D, Abdalla Filho JE, Pombo J, Sainz-Aja J, Carrascal I, Polanco J, Esen A, Laghrouche O, Woodward P (2021) Three-dimensional modelling of slab-track systems based on dynamic experimental tests. Transportation Geotechnics 31:100663, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2021.100663
Vale C, Calçada R (2014) A dynamic vehicle-track interaction model for predicting the track degradation process. Journal of Infrastructure Systems 20(3):04014016–1–13, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IS.1943-555X.0000190
Varandas JN (2013) Long-term behaviour of railways transitions under dynamic loading: Application to soft soil sites. Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Dept. of Civil Engineering, PhD Thesis, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/10145
Varandas JN, Paixão A, Fortunato E (2017) A study on the dynamic train-track interaction over cut-fill transitions on buried culverts. Computers and Structures 189:49–61, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruc.2017.04.017
Varandas JN, Paixão A, Fortunato E, Zuada Coelho B, Hölscher P (2020) Long-term deformation of railway tracks considering train-track interaction and non-linear resilient behaviour of aggregates–a 3D FEM implementation. Computers and Geotechnics 126:103712, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2020.103712
Walker R, Indraratna B (2018) Moving loads on a viscoelastic foundation with special reference to railway transition zones. International Journal of Geomechanics 18(11), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001274
Wang H, Markine VL (2018a) Methodology for the comprehensive analysis of railway transition zones. Computers and Geotechnics 99:64–79, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2018.03.001
Wang H, Markine VL (2018b) Modelling of the long-term behaviour of transition zones: Prediction of track settlement. Engineering Structures 156: 294–304, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2017.11.038
Wang H, Markine VL, Liu X (2017) Experimental analysis of railway track settlement in transition zones. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 232(6):1774–1789, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0954409717748789
Wang H, Markine VL, Shevtsov IY, Dollevoet R (2015) Analysis of the dynamic behaviour of a railway track in transition zones with differential settlement. Proceedings of the 2015 Joint Rail Conference, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, San Jose, California, USA. March 23–26, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1115/JRC2015-5735
Wood DM (2004) Geotechnical modelling. CRC Press, 1st edition, London. ISBN 0-415-34304-6, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315273556
Xin T, Ding Y, Wang P, Gao L (2020) Application of rubber mats in transition zone between two different slab tracks in high-speed railway. Construction and Building Materials 243:118219, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118219
Zakeri JA, Ghorbani V (2011) Investigation on dynamic behavior of railway track in transition zone. Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 25:287–292, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-010-1202-x
Zhai WM (1996) Two simple fast integration methods for Large-Scale dynamic problems in engineering. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 39(24):4199–4214, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0207(19961230)39:24<4199::AID-NME39>3.0.CO;2-Y
Acknowledgments
Not Applicable
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heydari-Noghabi, H., Varandas, J.N., Zakeri, J.A. et al. Performance Evaluation of a Combined Transition System in Slab-Ballasted Railway Track Using a Vehicle-Track-Substructure Interaction Model. KSCE J Civ Eng 27, 3848–3860 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-023-1273-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-023-1273-8