Skip to main content
Log in

The critical loading for lateral buckling of continuous welded rail

  • Civil Engineering
  • Published:
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The most significant differences between continuous welded rails (CWRs) and general split-type connectors are axial compression in the longitudinal direction, buckling stability and other issues generated under the influence of thermal effect. Under thermal effect, a dynamical behavior similar to that of a beam fixed on two sides occurs in the central locked area of the welded rail, as there is axial compression but no possibility of sliding. Continuous welded rails do not contract or expand, and are supported by the dynamical system made up of ballasts and rail clips. The rail-support system mentioned above has the features of non-uniform material distribution and uncertainty of construction quality. Due to these facts, the dynamics method based on the linear elastic hypothesis cannot correctly evaluate the rail's buckling conditions. This study is aimed at applying Finite Difference Method (FDM) and Monte Carlo Random Normal Variables Method to the analysis of welded rail's buckling behavior during the train's acceleration and deceleration, under thermal effect and uncertain factors of ballast and rail clips. The analysis result showed that buckling occurs under the combined effect of thermal effect and the train's deceleration force co-effect and the variance ratio of ballast and rail clips is over 0.85, or under the combined effect of thermal effect and the train's acceleration force when the variance ratio is over 0.88.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Eurocode 1, 1994. Basis of Design and Actions on Structures Part 3: Traffic Loads on Bridges. CEN.

  • Hillier, F.S., Lieberman, G.J., 1974. Operation Research, 2nd Edition. Holdenday, Inc.

  • Huang, Y.L., 2001. Research on the Buckling and Fatigue Properties of Rail. Research report, Department of Civil Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawaguchi, M., 1969. Thermal buckling of continuous pavement.Proceedings of the Japan Society of Civil Engineering,170:331–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawaguchi, M., 1971. Snap-through buckling of blocks laid in a line.Proceedings of JSED,193:125–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, A.D., 1969. Buckling of continuously supported beams.Journal of Engineering Mechanics Division, Proceedings of the ASCE,95(2):247–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, A.D., 1973. A Model Study for Vertical Track Buckling.High Speed Ground Transportation Journal,7(3):351–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, A.D., 1974a. The stress and stability analyses of railroad tracks.Journal of Applied Mechanics, Transactions of ASME, p.841–848.

  • Kerr, A.D., 1974b. On the Stability of the Railroad Track in the Vertical Plane. Rail International, p. 131–142.

  • Kerr, A.D., 1975. Lateral Buckling of Railroad Tracks Due to Constrained Thermal Expansions—A Critical Survey. Proceedings Symp. On Railroad Track Mechanics, Pergamon Press, p. 141–169.

  • Kerr, A.D., 1978. Determination of admissible temperature increases to prevent vertical track buckling.Journal of Applied Mechanics, Transactions of the ASME,45(3):565–573.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Miura, S., Yanagawaa, H., 1992. Extended applicability of continuous welded rail.Japanese Railway Engineering,120:21–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naylor, T. H., 1969. Computer Simulation Techniques. John Wiley and Sons.

  • Pilkey, W.D., 1994. Formula for Stress, Strain and Structural Matrices. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sung Wen-pei.

Additional information

Project supported by the National Science Council of Taiwan (No. NSC 93-2211-E-167-002), China

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sung, Wp., Ming-hsiang, S., Cheng-I, L. et al. The critical loading for lateral buckling of continuous welded rail. J. Zheijang Univ.-Sci. A 6, 878–885 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2005.A0878

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2005.A0878

Key words

Document code

CLC number

Navigation