Keywords: vehicle-bridge interaction, bridges, nonlinear, dynamics, finite element, multibody, cross winds, critical wind curve.

The analysis of the running safety of railway vehicles on viaducts subject to strong lateral actions such as cross winds requires coupled nonlinear vehicle-bridge interaction models, capable to study extreme events. In this paper original models developed by the authors are described, based on finite elements for the structure, multibody and finite element models for the vehicle, and specially developed interaction elements and contact formulations for the interface between wheel and rail. The models have been implemented within ABAQUS and have full nonlinear capabilities for the structure, the vehicle and the contact interface. They are based on a joint model formulation using an inertial reference frame. The contact model relies on detailed multipoint constraints for the geometric coupling, general wheel-rail multi-point contact and semi-hertzian models for the tangential forces. This coupling allows flange contact and loss of contact at the wheels. The model has been applied to the analysis of an existing viaduct in the Spanish high speed network, the Ulla viaduct. This structure is based on a very tall arch, with over 105 m height of the deck from the ground, which may be subject to strong cross wind events. The actions considered for the study are the rail irregularities and the turbulent time histories of wind action at each point of vehicle and bridge. The dynamic analyses allow to obtain critical wind curves which define the running safety conditions for a given train in terms of speed of circulation and wind speed.

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