Influence of spatial variation of elastic modulus of ballast material on vibration response of a ballasted railway track

Abstract

The influence of spatial variation of elastic modulus of ballast material on vibration response of a ballasted railway track is investigated using the spectral stochastic FEM(SSFEM) based on a coupling of a beam-spring-mass system and a 2-D elastodynamic body. In the present SSFEM the dynamic response of ballast layer is considered using numerically generated Green's function. The fictitious reflection of the elastic wave travelling in the ballast layer is reduced with a viscous boundary. Through the SSFEM simulation on the vibration of the railway track with spatial 10% variation of elastic modulus of ballast, the variations of the sleeper-ballast force, the railpad force and the wheel-rail contact force are under 1% of their maximum forces.