RAMP BRIDGE INTERFACE IN RAILWAY PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BRIDGE

The purpose of this paper is to study the factors that contribute to the dynamic behavior of railway ramp/bridge interfaces A nonlinear 100-ton freight car vehicle model (gross weight 131.5 tons) and a 50-ft (15.24-m) long ballasted prestressed concrete railway bridge were used to determine the approach of the ramp/bridge interface that creates the least dynamic response The track irregularities on the approach of the ramp/bridge interface and the bridge were generated from power spectral density functions for Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Class 4 track (maximum speed 60 mph) Impact percentages in the bridge due to a two 100-ton freight car train operating at 50 mph (80.45 km/h) were calculated The influences of ramp length and vertical track stiffness in the ramp/bridge interface were studied. © ASCE.