Growth Mechanism and Evolution Process of Rail Corrugation

Abstract

Rail corrugation is a phenomenon where roughness patterns of regular wavelengths are formed on the rail running surface by passing vehicles. In order to elucidate the mechanisms underlying corrugation, rail roughness growth mechanisms and evolution process were analyzed using theoretical and numerical methods. The resulting characteristics obtained in this manner were verified on the basis of rail roughness measured on domestic commercial lines. These results confirmed that corrugation growth factors consist of four anti-resonance phenomena, and that there are three stages in the corrugation evolution process: formation, growth and saturation. Finally, this paper proposes possible approaches for developing countermeasures.