High frequency vehicle-track interactionsimulation : Coupling of an advanced track model with a multi-bodysystem

Abstract: The forces caused by the high frequency vehicle-track interaction have a great impact on thetrack maintenance. They should be represented in vehicle-track models in order to predicttheir impact. As a result, a multi-body system (MBS) should be extended with an advancedtrack model. The MBS represents the vehicle and the wheel-rail contact with a great accuracy.The track will be modeled in two different ways: a moving track model and a continuous trackmodel which is a finite element modeling (FEM). The first one will be a lumped-mass model.The most advanced system will be the second one, which is a MBS-FEM representation andoffers a great precision to represent the high frequency dynamical properties. The system willbe used to simulate pertinent phenomena such as a wheelflats, corrugations and rail joint.Based on the literature and the measurements, the model is validated in a wider frequencyrange than the one currently used (0-20Hz). The results given by both models are close tothe literature and the measurement.