Assessment of Dynamic Properties and Scope of Implementing a New Track Transition Curve
Publication: Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper discusses the possibility of replacing the commonly used clothoid transition curve on a railroad route with a new transition curve adapted to railway operational requirements. The new transition curve is similar to the clothoid in its initial section, but it differs significantly over its extent, especially in the final section, where it provides a smooth entry from the transition curve into the circular curve. The subject of this study is the consideration of two key aspects of transition curves: the dynamic properties of the proposed geometric solution and the conditions related to the replacement of the existing clothoid transition curve. The dynamic analysis carried out confirmed that from an operational point of view the new transition curve is more favorable in the initial section than in the clothoid, while in the final section it has a definite advantage. In the final section the superiority of the new transition curve over the Bloss curve (representing S-shaped transition curves) is demonstrated. In our analysis of technical conditions related to the replacement of the clothoid with a new transition curve, it was shown that this operation does not require large lateral shifts of the railway track, and the values of the shifts depend mainly on the extent of the transition curves and the angle of shift of the main directions of the route. In the most unfavorable cases (large turn angle, considerable extent of transition curve) the situation can be significantly improved by a relatively small reduction in the radius of the circular curve.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the submitted article.
References
Arslan, A., E. Tari, R. Ziatdinov, and R. I. Nabiyev. 2014. “Transition curve modeling with kinematical properties: Research on log-aesthetic curves.” Comput. Aided Des. Appl. 11 (5): 509–517. https://doi.org/10.1080/16864360.2014.902680.
Bałuch, H. 1983. Optimization of track geometric layouts. [In Polish.] Warsaw, Poland: Transport and Communication Publishing.
Baykal, O., E. Tari, Z. Coskun, and M. Sahin. 1997. “New transition curve joining two straight lines.” J. Transp. Eng. 123 (5): 337–345. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-947X(1997)123:5(337).
Bosurgi, G., and A. D’Andrea. 2012. “A polynomial parametric curve (PPC–CURVE) for the design of horizontal geometry of highways.” Comput. Aided Civ. Infrastruct. Eng. 27 (4): 304–312. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8667.2011.00750.x.
Cai, H., and G. Wang. 2009. “A new method in highway route design: Joining circular arcs by a single C-Bezier curve with shape parameter.” J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. A 10 (4): 562–569. https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.A0820267.
Chrostowski, P., W. Koc, and K. Palikowska. 2020. “Prospects in elongation of railway transition curves.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Transp. 173 (5): 309–320. https://doi.org/10.1680/jtran.17.00097.
Dahlquist, G., and A. Björck. 2008. Numerical methods in scientific computing: Volume 1. Philadelphia: Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.
Habib, Z., and M. Sakai. 2007a. “G2 Pythagorean hodograph quintic transition between two circles with shape control.” Comput. Aided Geom. Des. 24 (5): 252–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cagd.2007.03.004.
Habib, Z., and M. Sakai. 2007b. “On PH quintic spirals joining two circles with one circle inside the other.” Comput. Aided Des. 39 (2): 125–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cad.2006.10.006.
Hasslinger, H. 2005. Measurement proof for the superiority of a new track alignment design element, the so-called Viennese Curve. Berlin: ZEVrail.
ISO. 1997. Mechanical vibration and shock—Evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration. Geneva: ISO.
Kobryń, A. 2011. “Polynomial solutions of transition curves.” J. Surv. Eng. 137 (3): 71–80. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000044.
Kobryń, A. 2014a. “New solutions for general transition curves.” J. Surv. Eng. 140 (1): 12–21. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000113.
Kobryń, A. 2014b. “Transition curves in vertical alignment as a method for reducing fuel consumption.” Baltic J. Road Bridge Eng. 9 (4): 260–268. https://doi.org/10.3846/bjrbe.2014.32.
Kobryń, A. 2016. “Universal solutions of transition curves.” J. Surv. Eng. 142 (4): 04016010. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000179.
Kobryń, A. 2017. “Transition curves for highway geometric design.” In Springer tracts on transportation and traffic. New York: Springer.
Koc, W. 2014. “Analytical method of modelling the geometric system of communication route.” Math. Prob. Eng. 2014: 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/679817.
Koc, W. 2015. “Identification of transition curves in vehicular roads and railways.” Logist. Transp. 28 (4): 31–42.
Koc, W. 2016. “Extending transition curve in analytical design method.” Transp. Overview—Przegląd Komunikacyjny 71 (4): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.35117/A_ENG_16_04_01.
Koc, W. 2017. “Transition curve with smoothed curvature at its ends for railway roads.” Curr. J. Appl. Sci. Technol. 22 (3): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.9734/CJAST/2017/35006.
Koc, W. 2019a. “New transition curve adapted to railway operational requirements.” J. Surv. Eng. 145 (3): 04019009. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000284.
Koc, W. 2019b. “Transition curves on railway roads in terms of feasibility.” Problemy Kolejnictwa—Railway Rep. 63 (185): 125–136.
Koc, W., and E. Mieloszyk. 1987. “Comparative analysis of selected transition curves using a dynamic model.” [In Polish.] Archiwum Inżynierii Lądowej 33 (2): 239–261.
Koc, W., and K. Palikowska. 2017a. “Determination of the optimal curvature of the turnout diverging track for HSR using dynamic analysis.” Transp. Overview—Przegląd Komunikacyjny 72 (10): 1–11. https://doi.org/10.35117/A_ENG_17_10_01.
Koc, W., and K. Palikowska. 2017b. “Dynamic analysis of the turnout diverging track for HSR with variable curvature sections.” World J. Eng. Technol. 5 (1): 42–57. https://doi.org/10.4236/wjet.2017.51005.
Kuvfer, B. 2000. “Optimization of clothoid lengths—Simulations of dynamic vehicle reactions on horizontal curves with track irregularities.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Conf. Railway Engineering 2000, Edinburgh, UK: Engineering Technics Press.
Mieloszyk, E., and W. Koc. 1991. “General dynamic method for determining transition curve equations.” Rail Int. Schienen der Welt 22 (10): 32–40.
PKP (Polish State Railways). 2018. “Technical standards—Detailed technical conditions for the modernization or construction of railway lines for speed (for conventional rolling stock)/250 km/h (for rolling stock with a tilting box).” [In Polish.] In Attachment ST-T1-A6: Geometrical layouts of tracks, 33–39. Warsaw, Poland: PKP.
Sánchez-Reyes, J., and J. M. Chacón. 2018. “Nonparametric bézier representation of polynomial transition curves.” J. Surv. Eng. 144 (2): 04018001. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SU.1943-5428.0000251.
Tari, E., and O. Baykal. 1998. “An alternative curve in the use of high speed transportation systems.” Int. J. Phys. Eng. Sci. 51 (2): 126–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s007770050044.
Tari, E., and O. Baykal. 2005. “A new transition curve with enhanced properties.” Can. J. Civ. Eng. 32 (5): 913–923. https://doi.org/10.1139/l05-051.
Tasci, L., and N. Kuloglu. 2011. “Investigation of a new transition curve.” Balt. J. Road Bridge E. 6 (1): 23–29.
Zboiński, K., and P. Woźnica. 2010. “Optimisation of the railway transition curves’ shape with use of vehicle-track dynamical model.” Arch. Transp. 22 (3): 387–407. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10174-010-0024-z.
Zboiński, K., and P. Woźnica. 2014. “Formation of polynomial railway transition curves of even degrees.” Sci. Works Warsaw Univ. Technol. Transp. 2014 (101): 189–202.
Ziatdinov, R. 2012. “Family of superspirals with completely monotonic curvature given in terms of Gauss hypergeometric function.” Comput. Aided Geom. Des. 29 (7): 510–518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cagd.2012.03.006.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 1 • February 2021
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 24, 2020
Accepted: Jul 14, 2020
Published online: Oct 8, 2020
Published in print: Feb 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Mar 8, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.