Keywords: turnout, switches and crossings, crossing, finite element simulation, ballast loading, sleeper displacement.

Switches and crossings are key components of a railway network because they enable track flexibility. However, they are also critical parts regarding safe operations. High dynamic loads at the wheel/rail interface lead to higher damage rates which increase operating costs and life cycle costs. Track settlement and ballast degradation are mainly driven by sleeper forces and sleeper movements. They are critical issues in railway engineering, affecting safety and efficiency. The ballast loading during wheel transition is evaluated using a finite element model and results of a measurement campaign on an Austrian railway turnout. The crossing’s performance is evaluated using displacement sensors installed on the sleeper in the transition zone. A test run with a Siemens ER 2016 diesel-electric locomotive was conducted to validate the finite element model. The simulation shows the wheel/rail contact forces during the transition and the influence on the sleeper movement which is delayed due to the system's dynamic properties. From these results, the ballast loading is determined. It is shown that the elastic support of the crossing reduces the dynamic load transfer to the ballast significantly.

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