Dynamic modelling of railway track based on wave propagation

In order to reduce the noise generated in the environment during a train's passage, studies have been carried out to model the track behaviour in dynamics. Models based on a rail description by Timoshenko beams were found to be insufficient, especially for lateral motion where torsion phenomena caused a large discrepancy between calculations and experimental measurements. Therefore a model was developed allowing for rail section strains and based on a description of waves travelling through the rail. A very satisfactory agreement with experimental data was reached both for lateral and vertical motions in a low to medium frequency range with a cheap calculation time cost. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited