Håkan Lane

Finite element calculations of rail vibration countermeasures

Elastic waves may constitute a nuisance for people living close to high-speed lines. In order to decrease the spread of vibrations, it is common to reinforce the ground with lime cement columns. This article presents the results of simulations of three different ways to install the columns. The calculations have been done with an integrated rigid body—finite element model. Equations from various physical domains are merged into one big system. The results indicate that the straight configuration works best to protect the track. When attention is focused on preventing vibrations from the soil, the leaning column method is more effective. The chosen technique would depend on the aims of the countermeasure.

Computational Railway Dynamics

High-quality and efficient means of transport is of high priority in the modern society. Railway traffic is environment friendly and economically very competitive for both freight and personal transports at mid-range distances. Although the railway technology has been improved substantially during the last decades, generated vibrations still impose annoyances to the surroundings environment and leads to deterioration of the track structure.

Moving Mesh Adaptivity applied to Railway Dynamics

Elastic wave propagation induced by the passage of high-speed trains can be the cause of major nuisances for people living close to railway lines. Because of resonance, the phenomenon is especially visible in configurations with a soft material in the soil. When the speed of the train matches propagation velocities in the ground, the vehicle catches up with the wave, leading to greatly magnified displacements.