A Review of Numerical Models for Slab-Asphalt Track Railways

Abstract

Higher train speeds and heavier axle loads trigger elevated stresses and vibrations in the track, potentially increasing track deterioration rates and maintenance costs. Alternative track forms made of combinations of reinforced concrete and asphalt layers have been developed. A thorough understanding of the slab and asphalt tracks is needed to investigate track performance. Thus, analytical and numerical models have been developed and validated by many researchers. This paper reviews numerical models developed to investigate railway track performance. The synthesis of major finite element models is described in detail, highlighting the main components and their outputs. For slab track models, the use of a structural asphalt layer within the railway track remains an active research topic and firm conclusions on its efficacy are not yet available. It can be expected that slab track structures will also be affected by train-induced ground vibrations. There is thus a gap in the literature regarding the measurement of dynamic effects on high-speed railway lines, and further research is needed to investigate the dynamic behaviour of slab–asphalt track systems. In this review, novel solutions for mitigating the vibrations in high-speed rail are discussed and compared. The use of asphalt material in railways appears to have beneficial effects, such as increasing the bearing capacity and stiffness of the structure and improving its dynamic performance and responses, particularly under high-speed train loads.

RETRACTED: Application of periodic structural wave impeding block for vibration isolation in foundation

“…The results show that setting WIBs in the foundation near the bottom of the vibration source has significant near-field active vibration damping and isolation effects, and the vibration damping and isolation effects of WIBs can be effectively improved by taking measures such as increasing the thickness of WIBs, improving the modulus of elasticity of WIBs, and decreasing the depth of burial of WIBs. In summary, they are limited by the cut-off frequency of the overlying soil layer, exhibiting better vibration isolation only within the low-frequency range with a narrow isolation band (Peplow and Kaynia, 2007;Yan et al, 2020;Atalan et al, 2022;Li et al, 2023b). Thus, their ability to isolate complex source frequencies is greatly restricted, rendering them unable to meet the increasing demands for vibration isolation.…”

Numerical analysis of high-speed railway slab tracks using calibrated and validated 3D time-domain modelling

“…Models of 2D, 3D or 2.5D subgrade underneath the track can be used according to the focus of the problem [20,21].…”

Sleepers Spacing Analysis in Railway Track Infrastructure

“…The feasibility of increasing the sleeper distance without jeopardising the safety of the track will be analysed by modelling a reference case, followed by parametric studies to analyse the effects on various track configurations, on the track displacements, stresses, and strains. Numerical models have helped in numerous applications to railways, in track transition structures analysis [1][2][3]7,[18][19][20][21][22], in evaluating the structural analysis of the variable railway gauge [23], or to evaluate the slab track (asphalt), as in [24]. Although the model uses real parameters and the mechanical properties of the materials, a similar model was validated in [25].…”