In recent decades, railway transport infrastructures have been regaining their importance due to their efficiency and environmentally friendly technologies. This has led to increasing train speeds, higher axle loads and more frequent train usage. These improved service provisions have however brought new challenges to traditional railway track engineering, especially to track geotechnical dynamics. These challenges demanded for a better understanding of the track dynamics. Due to the large cost and available load conditions limitation, experimental investigation is not always the best choice for the dynamic effect study of railway track structure. Comparatively speaking, an accurate mathematical modeling and numerical solution of the dynamic interaction of the track structural components reveals distinct advantage for understanding the response behavior of the track structure. The purpose of this thesis is to study the influence of design parameters on dynamic response of the railway track structure by implementing Finite Element Method (FEM). According to the complexity, different railway track systems have been simulated, including: Beam on discrete support model, Discretely support track including ballast mass model and Rail on sleeper on continuum model. The rail and sleeper have been modeled by Euler-Bernoulli beam element. Spring and dashpot has been used for the simulation of railpads and the connection between the sleeper and ballast ground. Track components have been studied separately and comparisons have been made between different models. The finite element analysis is divided into three categories: eigenvalue analysis, dynamic analysis and general static analysis. The eigenfrequencies and corresponding vibration modes were extracted from all the models. The main part of the finite element modeling involves the steady-state dynamic analysis, in which receptance functions were obtained and used as the criterion for evaluating the dynamic properties of track components. Dynamic explicit analysis has been used for the simulation of a moving load, and the train speed effect has been studied. The displacement of the trackbed has been evaluated and compared to the measurement taken in Sweden in the static analysis.

The railway vehicles are an increasing mean of transportation due to, its reduced impact on environment and high level of comfort provided. These reasons have contributed to settle a positive perception of railway traffic into the European society. In this upward context, the railway industrial sector tackles some important challenges; maintaining low operational costs and controlling the nuisance by-products of trains operation, the most important being railway noise. Track dynamic plays a main role for both issues, since a significant part of the operational costs are associated with the track maintenance tasks and, the noise generated by the track can be dominant in many operational situations. This explains why prediction tools are highly valued by railway companies. The work presented in this licentiate thesis proposes methodologies for accurate and efficient modelling of railway track dynamics. Two core axes have led the development of this task, on one hand, the rail modelling and, on the other hand, the characterisation of the finite length nature of track supports. Firstly, concerning the rail modelling technique, it has evolved under two major premises. On one hand, regarding the frequency domain, it should describe high frequency behaviour of the rail. In order to accomplish with this first premise, a model based on Timoshenko beam theory is used, which can accurately account for the vertical rail behaviour up to 2500 Hz. On the other hand, with respect to the time domain, the response should be smooth and free of discontinuities. This last condition is fulfilled by implementation of the Timoshenko local deformation. Secondly, a model of support that considers its finite length nature is sought. For this purpose, a Timoshenko element over elastic foundation is formulated. Thus, the common model of support, which is based on a concentrated connection, is substituted by a distributed model of support. In this way, several enhancements are achieved; the temporal contact force response is smoothed and a more realistic shape is obtained, the amplitude of the displacement due to the parametric excitation is reduced and the magnitude associated to the ‘pin-pin’ frequency is not overestimated. / <p>QC 20170522</p>

With the introduction of high-speed trains over the past few years, as well as withan increase in traffic loads and volumes, the attractiveness and competitiveness ofthe railway transport system have increased. This leads to the need to develop newcost-effective ways in railway construction, providing an increase in the life cycle ofthe railway track and reducing the need for maintenance.In several European countries, Japan, and the USA, asphalt mixtures, also called“bituminous mixtures”, are used as such an alternative solution in both traditionalballasted and ballastless railway designs. International experience has shown thatbituminous mixtures have good technical characteristics and can meet many of therequirements of modern railway construction, especially when it comes to the useof asphalt materials in ballasted tracks. However, there is a lack of knowledge andexperience in using bituminous mixtures in railway construction in the northernregions and harsh winter conditions.In this thesis, the development of two- and three-dimensional models of ballastedrailway track with an asphalt sub-ballast layer is presented. The analysis of thestatic and dynamic characteristics of the whole model and the asphalt layer exposedto different temperatures is carried out using the finite element method (FEM) inthe COMSOL software. Simulation for all conditions is carried out with a trainspeed of 200 km/h. The relationship between various temperatures from 􀀀30 °Cto +30 °C and the stress-strain behaviour of the asphalt sub-ballast layer is alsodetermined. The results of the study show that both under the influence of lowand high temperatures, the stresses and strains in the asphalt layer are quite small.Besides, the use of asphalt sub-ballast in the track structure reduces deformationsand stresses acting on the subgrade surface.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Tropical cyclones are synoptic scale rotating storms capable of generating intense wind speeds and rainfall with potentially devastating social and economic consequences. In addition to abnormally high winds and rainfall, the associated storm surge and extreme waves can lead to severe coastal erosion, damage to coastal property and inundation. A good understanding of the risk exposure to these events is therefore of great importance to planners and designers of coastal infrastructure in vulnerable regions. Probabilistic approaches have been routinely adopted for the calculation of extreme tropical cyclone induced wind speeds, with significant developments in these techniques over the last few decades. While the application of these approaches has become widely adopted in regions such as the North Atlantic, North Pacific and South Pacific Oceans, relatively little attention has been paid to the South-West Indian Ocean. This thesis focusses on the quantification of the risk exposure to tropical cyclones over the South-West Indian Ocean, using current state-of-the-art techniques. The primary results of the thesis are extreme wind speed maps at various return periods of interest for engineering design. Best track data for the South-West Indian Ocean, as archived by the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC), has been used as the primary dataset forming the basis of this study. These data provide estimates of the location and intensity of historical tropical cyclones at six hourly intervals. Location data are provided as estimates of longitude and latitude of the eye, while intensity data are provided as estimates of the maximum sustained surface (10 m elevation) wind speed and/or minimum central pressure. The modelling of tropical cyclone wind fields has been carried out using both the Holland (1980) and the Willoughby et al. (2006) parametric wind field models. Using the limited information available in the best track data as input to the model, surface wind fields which reasonably resemble those of actual storms have been generated. Both considered parametric wind field models have been shown to yield reasonable wind speeds and directions when compared with measurements. Of the two considered models the Willoughby et al. (2006) model has been shown to provide the best fit to historical wind speed measurements. Extreme value analyses of tropical cyclone induced wind speeds based on historical data alone have been shown to lead to potentially large errors, owing to the small sample size of the historical data. This highlights the need to augment the historical database through a probabilistic approach. Largely following the methods described in Powel et al. (2005) and Emanuel et al. (2006), a synthetic track model for the South-West Indian Ocean has been developed. The objective of the synthetic track model is to simulate thousands of years of tropical cyclone tracks, thereby circumventing errors induced by small sample sizes in the available historical best track data. The synthetic track model developed as part of this study is a Markov chain model, capable of simulating track propagation and intensity evolution along the track, from track genesis through to termination. The model is purely statistical, based on properties derived from the historical best track data. Adjustments have however been made to account for physical limitations such as those imposed by the equator and the maximum potential intensity which an event can attain. The statistical characteristics of synthetic tracks have been shown to agree well with those of the historical population. Applying the Willoughby et al. (2006) wind field model along synthetic tracks has enabled the simulation of 5 000 years of tropical cyclone induced wind speeds at any location of interest in the South-West Indian Ocean. Applying calculations on a 1 degree geographical grid, wind speed maps corresponding to return periods of 50, 100, 200 and 500 years have been generated for the South-West Indian Ocean. Extreme wind speeds along coastal regions provide valuable input for the design of coastal infrastructure in the region. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tropiese siklone is sinoptiese orde roterende storms wat in staat is om aansienlike windspoed en reënval, tot gevolg te hê met potensiële vernietigende sosiale en ekonomiese gevolge. Benewens die abnormale sterk winde en hoë reënval kan die verwante stormdeinings en vloedgolwe lei tot ernstige kus-erosie, skade aan kusfront-eiendom en oorstromings. ‘n Goeie begrip van die risiko-blootstelling aan hierdie gebeurtenisse is daarom van groot belang vir die beplanners en ontwerpers van kus-infrastruktuur in kwesbare gebiede. As gevolg van die beduidende ontwikkeling van probabilistiese benadering tot die berekening van windspoed wat veroorsaak word deur ekstreme tropiese siklone, word hierdie tegnieke huidiglike op ‘n roetine basis aangewend. Terwyl die toepassing van hierdie benaderings wyd aanvaar word in gebiede soos die Noord-Atlantiese, Noordelike- en Suidelike Stille Oseaan, word relatief min aandag gegee aan die Suid-Westelike Indiese Oseaan. Hierdie tesis fokus op die kwantifisering van die risiko-blootstelling aan tropiese siklone in die Suid-Westelike Indiese Oseaan met die gebruik van die huidige gevorderdste tegnieke. Die primêre resultaat van die tesis is uiterste wind spoed kaarte vir ‘n verskeindenheid herhaal periodes wat van belang in vir engenieursontwerp. Beste roete-ata vir die Suid-Westelike Indiese Oseaan, soos voorsien deur die Gesametlike Tifoon Waarskuwing Sentrum (JTWC), is gebruik as die primêre data stel wat die basis vorm van hierdie studie. Hierdie data gee die beste skattings van die ligging (lengte- en breedtegraad), en intensiteit (maksimum volgehoue oppervlak (10m hoogte) wind spoed en/of sentrale druk tekort) van historiese tropiese siklone teen ses-uurlikse intervalle. Die modelering van tropiese sikloon windvelde was uitgevoer met die gebruik van die Holland (1980) en die Willoughby et al. (2006) parametriese windveldmodelle. Met die gebruik van beperkte inligting wat beskikbaar is in die beste roete data as invoer vir die model, was oppervlak wind velde gegenereer wat ‘n billike ooreenstemming het met die van werklike storms. Beide tegnieke se parametriese windveldmodelle is al bewys om redelike akkurate windspoed en windrigtings te lewer in vergelyking met waargenome waardes. Van die twee modelle het die Willoughby et al. (2006) model se resultate die beste ooreenstemming gewys met historiese wind spoed metings. Dit is al uitgewys dat uiterste waarde-analises van tropiese sikloon veroorsaakte windspoed moontlik kan lei tot groot foute in die resultate as gevolg van die klein monster-grootte van die historiese data. Dit beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid om die historiese databasis aan te vul met behulp van probabilistiese metodes. Die metodes soos beskryf deur Powel et al. (2005) en Emanuel et al. (2006) is hoofsaaklik gebruik om ‘n sintetiese roete-model vir die Suid-Westelike Oseaan te ontwikkel. Die doelwit van die sintetiese roete model is om duisende jare se tropiese sikloonroetes te produseer, en in effek foute te vermy as gevolg van die gebruik van klein monster groottes van die beskikbare historiese beste roete data. Die sintetiese roete model wat tydens hierdie studie ontwikkel is, is ‘n Markov kettingmodel wat in staat is om die roete verspreiding asook die evolusie van intensiteit saam die roete te simuleer vanaf die onstaan tot die beëindiging van die sikloon se roete. Die model is suiwer statisties en is gebasseer op die eienskappe soos afgelei vanaf die historiese beste roete data. Aanpassings is gemaak om rekening te hou van die fisiese beperkings soos die wat opgelê word deur die ewenaar en die maksimum potensiële intensiteit wat ‘n sikloon kan bereik. Dit is voorgelê dat die statistiese einskappe van die sintetiese roetes goed saamstem met die van die historiese populasie. Die toepassing van die Willoughby et al. (2006) wind veld model langs die sintetiese roetes het dit moontlik gemaak om 5000 jaar se windspoed, wat veroorsaak is deur tropiese siklone, te genereer by enige ligging wat van belang is in die Suid-Westelike Indiese Oseaan. Met berekeninge wat op ‘n 1 grade geografiese ruitnet gedoen is, is windspoedkaarte vir herhaal periodes van 50, 100, 200 en 500 jaar opgestel vir die Suid-Westelike Indiese Oseaan. Die uiterste wind spoed in kusgebiede gee waardevolle invoer vir die ontwerp van kus-infrastruktuur in die omgewing.