Anti-Derailment Effect of a New Split-Type anti-disaster pile for High-Speed Trains

With the rapid development of high-speed railways, safety issues during train operations have become increasingly prominent, especially the secondary disasters caused by derailments. This study proposes a split-type anti-disaster pile (defined as a new segmented concrete protective structure used to guide train posture, limit lateral displacement, absorb impact energy, and prevent secondary disasters after derailment) to mitigate derailment risks and prevent train intrusion into adjacent tracks. The system is designed to guide the running posture of the train through impact, reduce lateral displacement of derailed trains, and prevent intrusion into adjacent lines. A coupled dynamic model of the “train–anti-disaster pile–track slab” system was established. The explicit dynamic method in ABAQUS and the Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) model were employed to systematically analyze the dynamic response, energy absorption characteristics, and damage evolution under various operational speeds (100–300 km/h) and lateral initial velocities (2–10 m/s). The study aims to reveal the protection mechanism and engineering applicability of the split-type anti-disaster piles. Main Findings 1) When the operational speed is ≥200 km/h and the initial lateral velocity is ≤6 m/s, the anti-disaster piles effectively control the lateral displacement within 1 meter, preventing intrusion into adjacent lines; 2) When the operational speed is ≤100 km/h or the initial lateral velocity is ≥10 m/s, the protection system fails due to insufficient collision frequency or excessive momentum. The maximum lateral displacement of the train reaches 4.3 m and 6.2 m under the two failure conditions respectively; 3) Energy dissipation analysis shows that the anti-disaster piles absorb 83%–90% of the total internal energy, with plastic dissipation accounting for over 85%, significantly reducing the train’s kinetic energy; the increase in the train’s internal energy accounts for only 1.65%–4.15%, indicating enhanced vehicle integrity; 4) The impact force exhibits a discontinuous multi-peak pattern, with peak values ranging from 1.8 to 6.1 MN, mainly dominated by the lateral component (56%–74%), verifying the piles’ effectiveness in regulating lateral kinetic energy; 5) In terms of damage evolution, tensile damage dominates the anti-disaster pile (over 90% of the damaged area), with a maximum shear strain of 6.75 cm and peak stress of 35 MPa, indicating that concrete structures without steel reinforcement are prone to failure under extreme impacts and require material optimization to improve tensile performance. The split-type anti-disaster pile effectively limits lateral displacement during derailments, particularly at medium to high speeds. It shows significant advantages in energy absorption, vehicle protection, and lateral kinetic energy regulation. For extreme conditions, further material optimization is recommended to enhance tensile strength and overall durability of the structure. • Split-type anti-collision piles guide derailed trains away from adjacent tracks • The system improves safety by limiting lateral train movement after derailment • Anti-collision piles effectively absorb impact energy during high-speed collisions • Lateral forces dominate during train impacts, confirming effective energy redirection • Structural design helps prevent secondary accidents caused by derailment intrusion