Keywords: ballast, acceleration, bridge deck, track deterioration, track stability, transition zone.

The track on bridges is affected by cyclic and dynamic action arising from the train passage and the reaction of the track supporting structure. Concerning the track, the current bridge design procedures include two major engineering tasks: On the one hand the stability of the track supported on the bridge deck has to be satisfied. In order to reduce the deterioration of the track the elasticity of the track has to be adapted for the stiff bridge deck. Furthermore, lateral stability has also to be satisfied. The vibration of the bridge structure has to be taken into account because it can affect the stability of the ballasted track. On the other hand the transition zone between bridge structure, abutment and the track on the subgrade is a matter of permanent concern. The changes in stiffness, in the dynamic behavior arising from the rolling stock and the relative deflection between the bridge structure and the abutment induce a nearly unavoidable problem for the long term behaviour on the track.

BAM has conducted intensive experimental work to study the behaviour of the ballasted track on dynamically excited bridges. The state of the art is a design value for the deck acceleration of 0.35 g as established in the ENV 1991-1. In our experimental investigations the design value was verified. The influence of a frequency content higher than 30 Hz and of single vibration amplitudes on the track deterioration was evaluated. Both vertical and lateral stability were investigated. The influence of vibrations on the lateral stability can be more severe since the lateral stability could involve a sudden failure of the track. Furthermore, a simulation tool was developed to calculate the lateral stability on a vibrating bridge deck. For this simulation tool a parameter study was undertaken [1] where combinations of the curvature of the bridge-track system, the design temperature and the bridge deck vibrations were investigated. Parts of this study are incorporated in this paper.

In a current research project the investigations are extended to the interaction of the train-track-dynamics and the long term behaviour of the transition zone. The main emphasis is on the integration of the possible deterioration of the structural components in the numerical modelling of the relevant structural elements of the vehicle, the bridge and bridge abutment structure. An outlook is given to a complete model for the assessment of the track behaviour at railway bridges.

1

M. Baeßler "Lageveränderungen des Schottergleises durch zyklische und dynamische Beanspruchungen", PhD Thesis, TU Berlin, 2008. (in German) URL

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