• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 1992

The purpose of this study is to provide the cause and countermeasure for track problems in the high speed railways due to the irregularly increasing dynamic wheel loads running over the speed range of 300 km/h. It has long been recognised that the track problems encountered on high speed railways are associated mainly with vertical dynamic loads which are related to the unsprung mass of vehicles and track irregularities. In addition to these parameters for the estimation of the dynamic wheel load variation, however, the dynamic characteristics of track structures are discussed in this paper with reference to mathematical modelling of the tracks and vehicle. From the results of the more detailed analyses, the effects of track stiffness and damping characteristics are considered to be significant for reducing the dynamic wheel loads. To make this point clear and appraise the overall performance of the track components, the theoretical analysis on the dynamic behavior of the tracks and wheel set impact tests on several track structures are performed. The experimental results from different track components are compared with each other. The track stiffness and damping characteristics are also presented quantatively.