Innovative approaches to the interaction of the metal bridge superstructure with rolling stock

Abstract

As part of the study, eight numerical experiments were conducted to simulate the movement of rolling stock across a span structure. To assess the influence of the elastic and inertial properties of the span structure on the safety of train operation, a series of calculations was performed for movement along an embankment, where both the track alignment and profile were assumed to be straight. However, rail irregularities and worn wheel profiles were considered, just as in the calculations for movement over the span structure. To reflect the fact that in actual operation wheel profiles undergo wear over time, all simulations were carried out using worn wheel profiles. This method essentially reduces the approximation of a continuous medium with an infinite number of degrees of freedom to a set of subdomains (or elements) with a finite number of degrees of freedom. For each element, shape functions are defined that allow for the determination of the displacement field within the element based on the displacements at the nodes, i.e., at the junctions of the finite elements (FE).