ON SIMULATION OF CONTINUOUS WELDED RAIL BUCKLING

Abstract

A 3D simplified model developed for the buckling analysis of continuous welded rail (CWR) subjected to thermal and vehicles loads in deterministic and probabilistic approach is presented in this paper. The model is based on a nonlinear analysis in total lagrangian formulation. The structure was modelled by beam elements and lateral, longitudinal and torsional spring elements with non-linear characteristics. The source of nonlinearity is due to the geometric nonlinearity of the rail high axial forces and also to the nonlinearity of material type for the resistances of the ballast and of the fasteners, respectively. A displacement control algorithm is used beyond the critical point and permits a more realistic computation of the structural safety. The great variability of the main parameters which govern the stability of the CWR track is introduced in the computational model by the statistical distributions. The algorithm is based on the evaluation of convolution integrals in a discrete approach.