Hybrid Model for Railroad Bridge Dynamics
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 10
Abstract
Railroads carry approximately 40% of the ton-miles of the freight in the United States. On the average, a bridge occurs every 2.25 km (1.4 mi) of track, making them critical elements. The primary load on the railroad bridges is the train, resulting in numerous models being developed to understand the dynamic response of bridges under train loads. However, because the problem is time-dependent and coupled, developing adequate models is challenging. Most of the proposed models fail to provide a simple yet flexible representation of the train, bridge, and track. This paper proposes a new hybrid model that is effective for solving the track–bridge interaction problem under moving trains. The main approach is to couple the finite-element model of the bridge with a continuous beam model of the track using the assumed modes method. Both single-track and multitrack bridges are considered. The hybrid model is validated against field measurements for a double-track bridge. This model is then used to predict critical train speeds. The results demonstrate that the hybrid model provides an effective and fundamental tool for predicting bridge dynamics subject to moving trains. The flexible feature of the model will allow accommodating more sophisticated vehicle models and track irregularities.
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Acknowledgments
This study is supported by the Federal Railroad Administration under the BAA 2010-1 project (Cameron Stuart, program manager). In addition, the technical support from CN is greatly appreciated.
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Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 142 • Issue 10 • October 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 17, 2015
Accepted: Feb 2, 2016
Published online: Apr 18, 2016
Discussion open until: Sep 18, 2016
Published in print: Oct 1, 2016
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