The Influence of CRTS II Slab Ballastless Track Upper Arch Deformation on the Wheel Jumping Law of High-Speed Vehicle

Abstract

To study the impact of upwarp deformation in the ballastless track on the jumping behavior of the high-speed vehicle, utilizing UM and ANSYS joint simulation, a vertical vibration model of high-speed vehicle on CRTS II slab ballastless track was developed based on the non-Hertz wheel–rail contact model of virtual penetration theory. By using the single-wave cosine curve simulating the characteristics of upwarp deformation in the track slab, we calculated the whole process of wheel jumping. This allowed us to analyze how the amplitude and wavelength of the track slab upward deformation influence the vibration response of the vehicle–track system. Our findings indicate that when a wheel passes through the arch section of the track slab, the entire wheel jumping process consists of distinct stages: “wheel–rail bonding, wheel–rail separation, wheel–rail impact (one or more times), and wheel–rail bonding.” As the amplitude of upwarp deformation increases and the wavelength decreases, significant changes occur in several parameters, including the vertical force between the wheel and rail, wheel unloading rate, wheel jump height, frequency, duration, and vertical displacement of the rail. Additionally, when the wavelength is between 2 and 6$$m and the amplitude is 8$$mm, the vertical force between the wheel and rail becomes zero, the wheel load reduction rate is one, and the wheel jumps. When the wavelength is less than 3$$m, the wheel jump height exceeds the flange height, increasing the risk of derailment. Meanwhile, during the first wheel–rail impact, the wheel–rail vertical force and the rail vertical displacement reach their maximum, potentially impacting rail service performance negatively. Finally, compared to the amplitude of the track slab camber deformation, its wavelength has a greater impact on the entire process of wheel jumping. It is recommended that attention be paid to the change in the wavelength of the track slab camber during the maintenance and repair of the ballastless track.