Investigation of the Influences of Track Superstructure Parameters on Ballasted Railway Track Design

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The main design criteria of ballasted railway tracks include rail deflections, rail bending stresses, rail wheel contact stresses, sleeper bending moments and ballast sleeper contact pressures. Numerous criteria have been defined for the design of ballasted railway tracks owing to the various mechanical properties of track components and their complex interaction. Therefore, railway track designing is a difficult and time-consuming process. These complications highlight the need to focus attention on the necessity of a thorough investigation into effect of the track and rolling stock parameters on the design criteria. In an attempt to overcome this problem, sensitivity analysis for the main railway track design criteria was conducted in this study. Consequently, the roles of track and rolling stock parameters (including track modulus, sleeper spacing, train speed and axle load) in the design of railway track were investigated for various track design criteria. The research findings provide new, practical suggestions for consideration in the analysis and design of ballasted railway tracks.