An analytic approach to the maintenance of high speed track

A methodology for processing measurements of rail geometry to help assess the ability of the track to satisfy its present and future requirements is advanced. The emphasis is on Amtrak´s passenger service in the Northeast Corridor. The technology described is amenable to other situations where guideway geometry-vehicle dynamic interactions are an issue, and where unsatisfactory responses of track and vehicles can be expressed in an object manner. The method of assessment consists of processing surface and line parameters into 1/3-octave components. This approach is appropriate for treating vehicle resonances whose widths are 1/3-octave or broader. It is also in accordance with evaluating human responses to vibration exposure as specified in standard ISO/DIS 2631