DYNAMIC MODELING OF RAILWAY TRACK BASED ON WAVE-PROPAGATION

In order to reduce the noise generated in the environment during a tra in's passage, studies have been carried out to model the track behavio ur in dynamics. Models based on a rail description by Timoshenko beams were found to be insufficient, especially for lateral motion where to rsion phenomena caused a large discrepancy between calculations and ex perimental measurements. Therefore a model was developed allowing for rail section strains and based on a description of waves travelling th rough the rail. A very satisfactory agreement with experimental data w as reached both for lateral and vertical motions in a low to medium fr equency range with a cheap calculation time cost. (C) 1996 Academic Pr ess Limited