Rail Vehicle-Track Interaction in Bridge Transition Zone using Multibody-Dynamic Approach

Track transition zones are areas where the track changes its alignment or elevation, like switches or bridges.They are prone to wear and tear from train stress, leading to higher maintenance costs.Monitoring and upkeep are crucial for safety and longevity.This study investigates the critical issue of differential settlement within the transition zone of railway tracks.Differential settlement poses significant challenges to track stability and operational safety.In this research, settlement variation along the track length is modeled linearly and uniformly.The track and rail vehicles are comprehensively modeled using a multi-body approach, with dynamic analysis conducted utilizing the ADAMS/VI-Rail software.This research provides the variation of force in rail-to-ground connection along the track near the transition zone where differential settlement takes place after a few periods(months) of operation.This force variation will help in the design of the transition zone structure.