Receptance behaviour of railway track and subgrade

K. Knothe, Y. Wu
Summary Vertical dynamic behaviour of a railway track on an elastic halfspace or on a
layered halfspace is investigated by a frequency domain analysis. The results are compared with
those for a simpler model, where ballast and subgrade are considered as a viscoelastic foun-
dation. In the low- and medium-frequency range up to 250 Hz, great differences are observed
between the results of the halfspace model and the results of the viscoelastic foundation
model. This is because the damping due to wave propagation and coupling between sleepers
cannot be modelled correctly by a viscoelastic foundation. Contradictions observed in the
past between measured and calculated results can be explained with the new halfspace model.
For frequencies higher than 250 Hz, the inuence of the subgrade is negligible, so that here
the simpler viscoelastic foundation model can be used.
Key words track model, receptance, subgrade, halfspace
1
Introduction
Over the past ten years, new high speed records have been established in railway technology.
In Germany the ICE achieved a maximum speed of 410 km/h, shortly afterwards the TGV
reached 515 km/h in France, and Shinkansen in Japan ran 443 km/h. In the near future the
operational speed on new high speed lines of DB AG will be 300 km/h, and probably 350 km/h.
Axle load will increase to perhaps 25 tons or even more. New, adhesion-controlled driving
units will guarantee that the maximum available traction can always be utilized.
The measures which have been taken in order to achieve these aims are subsystem opti-
mizations. Rarely is the complete vehicle/track system taken into consideration. Previously
neglected problems have become increasingly important recently: wheels of ICE passenger cars
become out-of-round within several months, damage phenomena on wheel and rail tread as
well as irregular settlement of the subgrade result in an inacceptable increase in maintenance
costs.
Two aspects are common to problems of this type. On the one hand, they are long-term
variations, which come to view only for thousands or millions of wheelsets running over the
track; on the other hand, for all of these problems vehicle and track have to be dealt with as a
unique system.
Looking closer at available track models, it is evident that they are not adequate. A survey of
track models used up to 1994 can be found in [13]. Nearly all the track models, whether static
or dynamic, are based on the model of an elastic foundation for ballast and subgrade proposed
in 1867 by Winkler. Winkler's original model is still used in civil engineering to investigate
stresses in the rail and in the ballast. Zimmermann's monograph [22] dealing with Winkler's
Archive of Applied Mechanics 68 (1998) 457 470 Springer-Verlag 1998
457
Received 5 January 1998; accepted for publication 7 April 1998
K. Knothe, Y. Wu
Technische Universitat Berlin, Institut fur Luft- und Raumfahrt,
Marchst. 12, D-10587 Berlin, Germany
Dedicated to Prof. Peter Haupt on the occasion of his sixtieth
birthday
The nancial support for this research was provided by the
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within the Priority Program
``System Dynamics and Longterm Behaviour of Bogie, Track and
Subgrade''.
model was rst published in 1888; in 1953 a reprint appeared. The rst dynamic extension of
the model was by Timoshenko [20]. Already Winkler and Timoshenko, and later to a great
extent other authors [13], tried to clarify under which circumstances discrete support (Fig. 1b)
needs to be considered, and whether individual degrees of freedom have to be introduced for
the sleepers. Nowadays, models of this type with discretely supported sleepers are standard [11,
13, 17].
Dynamic models are used when the unknown track parameters are to be identied. First, the
track is excited by a harmonic load, and the displacement at the point of excitation is measured.
The quotient of displacement amplitude and load amplitude is called direct receptance or
dynamic exibility. In parallel, the receptance can be calculated [17]. The unknown data of the
track (pad and ballast parameters) have to be chosen such that an optimal adaption of mea-
sured and calculated receptances is obtained [18]. In Fig. 2, measured and calculated re-
ceptances of a track are compared.
EI, ,
r

r

Q
.
e
i t
x
x
x
Rail
Rail
Rail
k
b
, c
b
k
b
, c
b
k
b
, c
b
k
u
, c
u
k
c
, c
c
l
s
k c
p
,
p
k
p
, c
p
a
c
b
Sleepers
Sleepers
Ballast

Q
.
e
i t

Q
.
e
i t
Fig. 1. a model of track on an elastic support; b model of track on a discrete support; c discrete model of
track, taking account of ballast mass and shear stiffness
10
-8
10
-9
10
-10
0
-40
-80
-120
-160
V
e
r
t
i
c
a
l

r
e
c
e
p
t
a
n
c
e

(
m
/
N
)
P
h
a
s
e

l
a
g
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Frequency (Hz)
Calculation
Measurement
Measurement
Calculation
Fig. 2. Comparison between
measurement and calculation with
the model from Fig. 1c
458
Nearly all track models have one disadvantage: the subgrade is not considered. Only a
few papers e.g. [1, 3] as well as [10, 21], make an exception. In their track models, a nite
number of sleepers (in most cases seven) is based immediately on the subgrade. Only in the
recent paper [2], a higher number of sleepers and a layered subgrade are considered.
In the present paper, we try to include an innite number of discretely supported sleepers laid
either on an elastic halfspace or on a layered elastic halfspace. The ballast is modelled in a special
way which is explained latter on. Receptances of the track model including the subgrade are
calculated and compared with an elastic foundation model as well as with earlier measurements.
2
Mathematical model of track and subgrade
The mechanical model of track and subgrade is shown in Fig. 3. The system is excited through a
vertical harmonic force in order to investigate the dynamic response. For reasons of simplicity
the sleeper is assumed to be a rigid mass. The pad between the rail and the sleeper is modelled
as a visco-elastic layer. The ballast is considered to be a short elastic rod and not an elastic
layer. This is due to practical observations of impressions left by ballast blocks on ballast mats
once the ballast has been exhausted. The subgrade below the ballast rods can be either an
elastic halfspace or a layered elastic halfspace. The load between each ballast rod and the
subgrade is assumed to be uniform. As the ballast is usually tamped in such a way that the main
support is provided below the rail seat, [8], two ballast blocks are assumed below each sleeper.
The ballast is mainly elastic but a damping value can be introduced too. The elasticity of the
ballast has to be estimated by experiments, the ballast mass can be calculated.
The rail is modelled as a Timoshenko beam. Therefore, two partial differential equations are
obtained
EI
o
2
b(xY t)
ox
2
GA b(xY t)
ow
r
(xY t)
ox
!
l
r
o
2
b(xY t)
ot
2
= 0 Y (1)
GA
b(xY t)
ox

o
2
w
r
(xY t)
ox
2
!
l
r
o
2
w
r
(xY t)
ot
2
=
Q(t)d(x)

j=
d(x jl
s
) k
p
w
r
(xY t) w
s
(jl
s
Y t) [ [ c
p
ow
r
(xY t)
ot

ow
s
(jl
s
Y t)
ot
! & '
X (2)
where w
r
(xY t) is the vertical displacement of the rail, b(xY t) is the slope of the cross section
of the rail and w
s
(jl
s
Y t) is the vertical sleeper displacement. The sleeper spacing is denoted as
l
s
, and the distance between sleeper `0' and sleeper `j' is jl
s
; d(x) and d(x jl
s
) are Dirac
functions. A second-order ordinary differential equation is obtained for the rigid sleeper mass

Q(t) = Q
.
e
i t
x
Rail
k
p
, c
p
Sleepers
Ballast
m
s
m
s
m
s
S
j -1
T
j -1
S
j
T
j
S
j +1
T
j +1
z, w(x,t)
Subgrade
Fig. 3. Track-subgrade system
459
m
s
o
2
w
s
(jl
s
Y t)
ot
2
k
p
w
r
(jl
s
Y t) w
s
(jl
s
Y t) [ [
c
p
ow
r
(jl
s
Y t)
ot

ow
s
(jl
s
Y t)
ot
!
S
j
(jl
s
Y t) = 0 for _ j _ X (3)
The vertical forces between sleeper and ballast are denoted by S
j
(jlsY t) and the resultant vertical
forces acting on the surface of the subgrade by T
j
(jl
s
Y t).
The cross section of the ballast block varies in vertical direction, s. Fig. 3. A system of
differential equations has to be formulated for the ballast rod
M
j
 w
j
(t) D
j
w
j
(t) K
j
w
j
(t) =
S
j
T
j
& '
Y (4)
where M
j
Y K
j
and C
j
, respectively, are the mass, stiffness and damping matrix. It is sufcient to
use only two displacements, w
T
j
(t) = w
s
Y w
f

j
, where w
s
is the vertical sleeper displacement
and w
f
is the mean displacement of the foundation (subgrade) below the ballast rod.
The subgrade behaviour is described by frequency-dependent vertical direct and cross re-
ceptances, as explained in the next section. For a track model used in the low-frequency range
(f _ 40 Hz) or in the medium-frequency range (40 Hz _ f _ 400 Hz), the coupling between
two ballast rods through the subgrade is signicant. Even if nine sleepers are coupled through
the subgrade, an inuence can be seen looking at the vertical direct receptance of the track.
3
Modelling of the subgrade
3.1
General model
In order to combine track and subgrade, it is necessary to formulate coupling conditions.
This can either be done by stiffness or by exibility matrices. If a track with an innite
number of sleepers is considered, each formulation can be transformed to the other through
inversion of the specic matrices.
In order to determine the dynamic stiffness matrix, displacements of rigid foundations have
to be described, and the reacting resultant forces are obtained by integration of the normal
pressure distribution over the area of the foundation. These forces are components of the
dynamic stiffness matrix.
In order to determine the exibility matrix, a uniform load distribution is imposed on the
areas of the foundation, which is assumed to have no rigidity. The flexibilities are obtained
by integrating the vertical displacements over the area of the foundation.
Both formulations are illustrated in Fig. 4. The stiffness method is denoted by dark arrows,
the exibility method by open arrows.
T
.
e
j -2
i t
T
.
e
j -1
i t
T
.
e
j
i t
T
.
e
j +1
i t
T
.
e
j +2
i t
j -2 j -1 j j +1 j +2
k
p1
c
p1
c
h1
k
h1

x
w
f
G, ,
Forces acting
between ballast
and subgrade
Vehicle-
track-model
Displacements as
structural condition
between ballast
rod and subgrade
Subgrade-
model
k c
p p
,
Fig. 4. Vehicle-track-subgrade model
460
The exibility method is preferred for two reasons: If displacements of a rigid foundation are
prescribed, then singularities of the stress distribution are obtained at the edges of the foun-
dation. This is unrealistic. If a pressure distribution if prescribed, either a uniform or any other
perhaps more realistic distribution can be used. The receptances which are obtained when
pressure distributions are prescribed are much smoother than the dynamic stiffnesses for
prescribed displacements. It is therefore much easier to nd analytical approximations for the
receptances which can be transformed into a time-domain model.
3.2
Analysis of dynamic flexibilities
The displacement on the surface of the halfspace or of a layered halfspace, depending on the
resultant vertical force T, is a function of the frequency f , thus, X = 2pf , and of the surface co-
ordinates x and y:
w
f
(xY yY iX) =
T
Gb
f
1
(xY yY iX) if
2
(xY yY iX) [ [ Y (5)
where w
f
(xY yY iX) is the surface displacement, T is the amplitude of the resulting pressure
distribution acting on the rectangular foundation, G is the shear modulus of the subgrade and
2b is the length of the foundation normal to the track direction, see Fig. 5. Functions f
1
and f
2
are real and imaginary parts of the dimensionless displacement function; they depend on the
side ratio of the rectangular foundation and on Possion's number [14, 15]. If f
1
if
2
is inte-
grated over the area of the rectangles, complex mean displacements are obtained which can be
interpreted as direct and transfer receptances. The mean displacement within the loaded
foundation results in the discrete receptance H
00
H
00
(iX) =
1
Gb
1
4ab

a
a

b
b
f
1
(xY yY iX) if
2
(xY yY iX) [ [dx dy X
The mean displacement of the rectangle below the next sleeper results in the cross-receptance
H
01
. For the next but one sleeper, the cross-receptance H
02
is obtained. The receptances H
00
,
H
01
, H
02
are shown in Fig. 6, H
03
and H
04
are shown in Fig. 7. For the investigation of the
complete track model not only the foundation on one side, as shown in Fig. 5, is loaded but
both foundations belonging to one sleeper are loaded simultaneously.
If one is interested in receptances of layered halfspaces, special computer codes must be
used, e.g. [19].
2 1 0 -1 -2
G, ,
w
f
2a
2a
x-z- plane
x-y- plane
Left rail
Right rail
2
b
2
b
y
x
Central axis of track
l
s
l
s
l
s
l
s
Fig. 5. Position of foundations on the subgrade
461
4
Continuization of discrete support and of sleeper coupling
For a discrete model below each sleeper there are ballast rods and foundations, Fig. 3. The
amplitudes of the harmonic forces acting between ballast and subgrade are denoted by
F F F T
2
Y T
1
Y T
0
Y T
1
Y T
2
F F F etc. In reality each foundation will be coupled with all the other
foundations, which means that T
0
not only provides a contribution to w
f Y0
but also to
w
f Y1
Y w
f Y2
Y w
f Y3
etc. Only a restricted number of these couplings can be taken into account within
a mechanical model. Strong couplings have to be considered, whereas weak couplings can be
neglected. It has to be investigated numerically how many couplings have to be taken into
account. In Fig. 8, a ve-sleeper coupling system is shown. This means that every sleeper is
coupled with the next and the next but one sleeper in both directions. This is true not only for
the sleeper `0', but also for the sleepers `1', `2' etc. If the number of couplings is increased by
one, the coupling H
03
between sleeper 0 and sleeper 3 has to be introduced.
For the consideration of sleeper couplings, an approximation has been introduced. In order
to explain this approximation, only the coupling to the neighbouring sleeper is considered. For
the foundation `0', the amplitude of the displacement w
f Y0
is obtained as
w
f Y0
= T
1
H
01
T
0
H
00
T
1
H
01
X (6)
The equation is slightly rearranged now to obtain
w
f Y0
= (T
1
2T
0
T
1
)H
01
T
0
(H
00
2H
01
) X
If the forces T
j
are smeared out over the sleeper spacing l
s
one gets
w
f Y0
=
(p
1
2p
0
p
1
)
l
2
s
H
01
l
3
s
p
0
(H
00
2H
01
)l
s
X (7)
GbH
00
dynamic flexibility
GbH
01
dynamic flexibility
GbH
02
dynamic flexibility
-0.04
-0.10
-0.12
-0.14
0
-0.08
0.04
-0.04
-0.06
0.08
-0.02
0.12
0
0.16
0.02
0.20
0.04
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
0
0
Frequency (Hz)
Frequency (Hz)
R
e
a
l

p
a
r
t
I
m
a
g
i
n
a
r
y

p
a
r
t
Fig. 6. Direct receptance H
00
and cross-
receptances H
01
Y H
02
462
Equation (7) is an algebraic difference equation. Introducing the differential quotient
instead of the difference expression, one obtains the following approximation for the dis-
placement of the halfspace foundation:
w
f
(x) =
d
2
p(x)
dx
2
H
01
l
3
s
p(x)(H
00
2H
01
)l
s
Y (8)
where p(x) is a distributed load. If the coupling with the next but one sleeper, as in Fig. 8, is
considered, a fourth-order differential equation is obtained
w
f
(x) =
d
4
p(x)
dx
4
H
02
l
5
s

d
2
p(x)
dx
2
(H
01
4H
02
)l
3
s
p(x)(H
00
2H
01
2H
02
)l
s
X (9)
Additional couplings can be treated in the same manner, although the mathematical expres-
sions become slightly more complicated.
GbH
03
dynamic flexibility
GbH
04
dynamic flexibility
-0.03
-0.03
0
0
-0.02
-0.02
-0.01
-0.01
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.03
0.03
200
200
150
150
100
100
50
50
0
0
Frequency (Hz)
Frequency (Hz)
R
e
a
l

p
a
r
t
I
m
a
g
i
n
a
r
y

p
a
r
t
Fig. 7. Cross-receptances H
03
Y H
04
T
-2
T
-1
T
0
T
1
T
2
w
f
l
s
l
s
l
s
l
s
x
H
02
H
02
H
02
H
02
H
02
H
01
H
01
H
01
H
01
Fig. 8. Interaction of foun-
dations on the subgrade
463
The continuization of inter-sleeper coupling means thus that algebraic difference
equations for the subgrade, Eq. (7), are transformed into differential equations, which allows
for effects transmitted through distance. This procedure of course is not completely new;
for example, it has been proposed in [16] to substitute Wintkler's foundation by another type of
foundation, where p(x) would be not only proportional to w
f
(x) but also to its second de-
rivative w
//
f
(x). In our procedure, w
f
(x) is proportional to p(x) and p
//
(x). The approach [16]
is a stiffness formulation, while our approach is a flexibility formulation. If a general computer
code for a layered elastic halfspace is available, then it is also possible to determine the
coefcients for the stiffness formulations and thus for the stiffness approach [16].
5
Solution strategy
As shown in the last section, the discrete support of the sleepers including the coupling
between sleepers could be continuized (smeared out). To obtain the corresponding approxi-
mate solution, the Dirac functions in Eqs. (1), (2) and (3) are no longer necessary. Instead of
using jl
s
, the local dependence may be expressed by x. The same kind of approximation is
normally used for Winkler's foundation, and it is well known that only slight deviations are
found up to 600 Hz.
In the present paper the continuized system is solved in the frequency domain. The local
dependency and the time dependency are therefore given by
w
f
(xY t) = w
f
(x)e
iXt
X (10)
This and similar expressions are introduced into Eqs. (1), (2), (3) and (4). The system of partial
differential equations is thus transformed into a system of ordinary ones. Next, a Fourier
transformation is performed
w
f
(ia) =

w
f
(x)e
iax
dx X (11)
The result is an algebraic system of equations where the complex Fourier variable a acts as
an eigenvalue. The linear, algebraic eigenvalue problem has to be solved numerically,
after which the general solution for the displacements w
f
(x)Y w
r
(x) and for the forces t
f
(x)
is obtained by an inverse Fourier transformation
w
f
(x) =
1
2p

w
f
(ia)e
iax
da X (12)
The improper integral in Eq. (12) has to be solved using Cauchy's residue theorem, see [9, 12].
The procedure as a whole is illustrated in Fig. 9.
6
Results
Unless otherwise stated, the following parameters have been used for the numerical analysis:
v UIC 60 rail: l
r
= 60X3 kgamY l
r
= 0X24 kgmY EI = 6X41 10
6
Nm
2
Y GA = 2X62 10
8
NY
v Pad: k
p
= 2X8 10
8
NamY c
p
= 3X0 10
4
Nsam,
v Rigid B 70 sleeper: m
s
= 290 kg,
v Ballast: E
b
= 2X08 10
8
Nam
2
, mass density q = 1800 kgam
3
, thickness 0.3 m,
v Foundation of ballast rod on the subgrade: 2a = 0X468 mY 2b = 1X0 mY
v Subgrade: v
s
= 155 mas , Poisson's ratio 0.4, mass density 1800 kgam
3
.
6.1
Static deflection
Compared with Winkler's foundation, a different behaviour is observed for an elastic
half-space. If a load is acting on the half-space, a displacement occurs not only for the
rectangular foundation where the load is acting but also for the neighbouring foundations.
Looking at Fig. 10, the deection of the rail is shown up to 5 m in both directions near the load.
The full line which is denoted as without coupling corresponds to a rail on Winkler's
foundation. At a certain distance from the load the rail lifts off.
464
The more sleeper couplings are taken into account, the more the zero crossing of the
deection is displaced from the load. If more than four sleepers in both directions are coupled,
only a very slight lift-off can be observed. It has to be expected that no more lift-off occurs if the
number of sleeper couplings is further increased. Even in this case, traction forces between
sleeper and ballast will occur in certain ranges of the rail.
6.2
Track receptances
The track receptance (dynamic exibility) is dened as the ratio of the rail displacement to the
exciting force. As harmonic excitation is assumed, of course, only the amplitudes of dis-
placement and force need to be considered. If the frequency-dependent receptance
of the rail is available for the whole frequency range, then all static and dynamic properties
of the track with respect to the point of excitation and the point of the displacement are
available.
In our calculation, rst the subgrade is considered as a homogeneous elastic half-space.
However it is also possible to consider a layered half-space with locally dependent parameters
(e.g. Young's modulus, mass density etc.). Figure 11 shows how the calculated direct receptance
depends on the number of sleeper couplings which have been considered. The thick, full line is
obtained for a system where no couplings have been considered. A pronounced maximum
can be observed near 60 Hz. Compared with Winkler's foundation, there are two reasons why
this rst maximum appears for a comparatively low frequency. On the one hand, not only
rail and sleepers but also the ballast rod are vibrating on the subgrade. On the other hand,
at 60 Hz the direct receptance of the subgrade is still comparatively high, see Fig. 6.
For all the other curves, the coupling has been considered, however for a different
number of sleepers. Concerning the coupling it should be kept in mind that the coupling in
question is an `overlapping' coupling. If e.g. a coupling between nine ballast foundations is
considered, as in the lower part of Fig. 11, then this coupling is valid not only for every sleeper
1 but also for sleeper 2, 3 etc. After the continuization, an ordinary differential equation of
eighth order is obtained. Looking at the curves for different types of coupling, qualitatively
similar results are obtained. The static receptance has always the highest value. For an in-
creasing frequency, the receptance decreases; one gets relative maximum values at 70 Hz,
135 Hz and 225 Hz. The maximum at approximately 135 Hz makes a half of the static value.
The minimum value, which is less than 207 of the static value, is found at 270 Hz; then the
receptance increases slightly up to approximately 470 Hz.
One is inclined to interpret the different maxima as resonance peaks of the same type as
they appear for a Winkler's foundation. This interpretation would be wrong. Rather, the
Partial differential equations for
the track-subgrade model
Fourier transformation
Algebraic equations:
eigenvalue equation for the Fourier variable
Eigenvalues and eigenvectors
Consideration of boundary condition
and of the load acting on the rail
Inverse transformation using Cauchys residual theorem
Solution for the displacements and the forces
acting on the subgrade
Fig. 9. Solution procedure for the continuized
track/subgrade system
465
maxima are a result of wave propagation effects. At frequencies of 70 Hz, 135 Hz and 225
Hz, evidently, the ballast foundation obstructs the wave propagation least of all.
The same calculation has been performed for stiff, medium and soft soil (wave propagation
speeds v
s
= 236X1 mas, 154.6 m/s and 78.7 m/s, respectively). The subgrade receptances
have been provided by the Soil Dynamics Section of TU Berlin (Prof. S. A. Savidis,
R. Hirschauer)
H
04
H
01
H
01
H
02
H
03
H
04
H
02
H
03
4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4
Number of
the foundations
H
01
H
01
H
01
H
01
H
02
H
02
H
02
H
03
H
03
H
04 With couplings
With couplings
With coupling
With couplings
Without coupling
600 500 400 300 200 100 0
Frequency (Hz)
...... ......
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
V
e
r
t
i
c
a
l

r
e
c
e
p
t
a
n
c
e

(
x
1
0
m
/
N
)
-
9
Q(t) = Q
.
e
i t
x Rail
k
p
, c
p
Sleepers
Ballast rod
m
s
m
s
m
s
Subgrade

+ + +
+ +
+
Fig. 11. Inuence of the number of sleeper couplings on rail receptances (wave propagation speed
v
s
= 155 m/s)
Wheel load (ton)
0.12
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
D
e
f
l
e
c
t
i
o
n

(
m
m
/
t
)
Distance (m)
H
01
H
04
H
02
H
01
H
02
H
03
H
04
H
03
4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4
Number of
the foundations
H
01
With couplings
With couplings
With coupling
With couplings
Without coupling
H
01
H
02
H
03
H
04 + + +
H
01
H
02
H
03 + +
H
01
H
02
+
Fig. 10. Inuence of different sleeper couplings on the static deection of the rail
466
The spectrum of receptances is shown in Figs. 12 and 13. Again, a variety of maxima can be
found, most of them for soft soil. In all three cases for frequencies higher than 400 Hz, the
receptances are quite similar. This makes clear that in the low-frequency range
(0 Hz _ f _ 40 Hz) as well as in the medium-frequency range (40 Hz _ f _ 400 Hz) the re-
ceptances are governed by the soil properties, whereas in the high-frequency range
(f _ 400 Hz) the pad behaviour is dominant.
In order to control the procedure of continuization, a model with completely discrete sleeper
couplings has been developed additionally. Its theory will be presented elsewhere. Here, only
the results are shown, Fig. 14. The receptance for the discretely supported track has been
calculated for a harmonic force acting between two sleepers, and compared with the results of
the model with continuized support. The results are nearly the same. The receptances of the
discretely supported track model are slightly higher, due to the bending of the rail between two
sleepers. In both cases ve-sleeper coupling has been considered. While the receptances of the
model with discrete-sleeper support have been calculated up to 1200 Hz, the model with
continuization has only been calculated for values up to 600 Hz. The sharp maximum at
1070 Hz is a result of the discrete support. The corresponding vibration mode of the rail is
often called `pinned-pinned-mode'. Apart from this resonance peak, all the other effects can be
obtained with a model where the discrete support and the coupling between sleepers has been
continuized. The model with continuization is much easier to be dealt with and is therefore
preferred.
600 500 400 300 200 100 0
Frequency (Hz)
V
e
r
t
i
c
a
l

r
e
c
e
p
t
a
n
c
e

(
x
1
0
m
/
N
)
-
8
0.1
0.5
1
2
3
Medium subgrade
( = 154.6 m/s)
s
Soft subgrade
( = 78.7 m/s)
s
Stiff subgrade
( = 236.1 m/s)
s
Fig. 12. Inuence of soil subgrade
properties on track receptances
600 500 400 300 200 100 0
Frequency (Hz)
V
e
r
t
i
c
a
l

r
e
c
e
p
t
a
n
c
e

(
x
1
0
m
/
N
)
-
9
1 1 2 3 System
System 2
System 3
m/s m/s m/s
m/s m/s
200 200 200
140 260
= = =
= =
s s s
s s


2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Fig. 13. Inuence of layered half-
space on track receptances (thick-
ness of the layer 1.15 m)
467
7
Comparison with other available results and with measurements
Only few track deection measurements are available for the frequency range from 0 Hz to
some hundreds Hz. More than 30 years ago Birmann [5, 6] and Betzhold [4] measured the
deections of rail and sleeper and the displacements at several points on the planum and in
the subgrade for an electric locomotive running over the measurement section. These results
have been already used in order to get realistic values for the ballast stiffness. More interesting
are receptance measurements. A comparison of measured and adapted calculated results
has already been shown in Fig. 2. The agreement is excellent, but only for frequencies higher
than 100 Hz. As the model which has been used for adaptation is a Timoshenko beam on
Frequency (Hz)
V
e
r
t
i
c
a
l

r
e
c
e
p
t
a
n
c
e

(
x
1
0
m
/
N
)
-
9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1200 1000 500 0
Discretely supported track model
Continuously supported track model
Fig. 14. Vertical direct
receptances for discretely
supported track model and for
a track model with continuization
of discrete support
M 10D
Cross-beam
M 3D
M 1D
excitation
Harmonic
M 5D
Sleeper
Ballast
Fig. 15. Measurements
on track (measuring point:
M 3D, on the head of rail),
from [7]
468
Winkler's foundation, Fig. 1, the calculated receptance decreases for low frequencies whereas
the measured receptance increases for decreasing frequency values. The theoretical results of
Fig. 13 therefore agree qualitatively with the measured results of Fig. 2.
Between 1970 and 1980, Krupp Industrie- und Stahlbau (KIS) developed special receptance
measurement equipment. Some of the measurements have been published [7]. Figure 15 shows
displacement amplitudes calculated from measured accelerations. A static pre-load of 100 kN
and an amplitude of 10 kN for the harmonically varying load have been used. The rail dis-
placement of the measurement point M 3D is proportional to the direct receptance of the rail.
Two phenomena can be observed in Fig. 15. First, there is an increase in the receptance
(displacement amplitude) below 50 Hz; secondly, there is a pronounced maximum of the
displacement amplitude (receptance) near 120 Hz.
Hitherto the maximum at 120 Hz has been interpreted as the resonance of rail and sleeper
mass moving on a Winkler foundation, whereas the increase below 50 Hz has been neglected.
The model presented here is able to explain both effects consistently.
8
Conclusions
(a) With the new model, a separate treatment of ballast and subgrade is possible. If ex-
periments were performed where sleeper and planum displacements would have been mea-
sured separately, then an adaption to both values could be possible.
(b) Looking at the static deection of the rail, signicant deviations are observed as com-
pared with the results of a Winkler-foundation model. No geometrical lift-off of the rail and the
sleepers exists any longer. However, weak tension forces still may occur between rail and
sleeper and between sleeper and ballast some distance away from the load.
(c) The most surprising result is that the track receptances between 0 Hz and 200 Hz are
distinctly different when a halfspace model is used instead of a viscoelastic foundation model
(generalized Winkler foundation). Using the foundation model, a maximum of the receptance
(resonance) is found between 100 Hz and 200 Hz. For lower frequencies, the amplitude of the
receptance decreases, and a minimum value is obtained for the static case. If, however, a
halfspace model is used, then the receptance increases if the frequency is decreased below
100 Hz; usually a maximum value is obtained for the static case. Certain other maxima in the
frequency range up to 200 Hz are due to wave propagation and must not be interpreted as
resonance phenomena.
(d) Discrepancies between measured receptances and simulation results based on founda-
tion models could until now be only insufciently explained by measurements. By the use of
the halfspace model the measurement results can be explained consistently.
(e) Concerning the number of sleeper couplings which needs to be considered, the following
applies:
v For static analysis, at least an overlapping three-sleeper coupling is necessary in order to
avoid an error of up to 30%.
v For the investigation of receptances, at least an overlapping ve-sleeper coupling should be
considered.
(f) In the frequency range below 200 Hz, a correct consideration of the subgrade is man-
datory. This mainly concerns all simulations where the loads acting on the ballast and long-
term variations (ballast settlement) are of interest. For the problem of out-of-round wheels,
frequencies between 50 Hz and 120 Hz are relevant, so halfspace models should be used for
these simulations. For frequencies higher than 250 Hz, the inuence of the subgrade diminishes
and the inuence of the railpad becomes dominant. Therefore, for high-frequency problems
like rail corrugation investigations or acoustic problems, the foundation models are sufcient.
(g) Nonlinear ballast laws and ballast settlement laws require a separation into ballast and
subgrade and correct subgrade modelling.
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