DYNAMIC MODELING OF RAILWAY TRACK - A PERIODIC MODEL-BASED ON A GENERALIZED BEAM FORMULATION

Dynamic modelling of railway track is a vital step in view of traffic noise reduction. Considering the track as a periodic structure, the cl assical properties and methods associated with one-dimensional periodi c structures are recalled, then applied to the problem within the fram ework of the Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories. These metho ds turn out to be insufficient when compared with experimental data, e specially concerning the lateral receptance spectrum. Therefore, an ex tended beam model is developed, essentially based on the notion of gen eralized cross-section displacements. Finally, the application of this theory to railway track results in a significant improvement in the c omputed spectrum, and suggests directions for further investigations. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.