Benchmark study of a small-scale slab track system with squeeze-mode magnetorheological fluid isolators

A magnetorheological fluid squeeze-mode isolator is proposed to improve the vibration isolation performance of a subway floating slab track system. However, it is difficult to carry out the test for the full-scale track vibration isolation system in the laboratory. The research is based on scale analysis of the floating slab track system, from the point view of the dimensionless of the dynamic characteristics of physical quantity, to establish a small-scale test bench system for the magnetorheological fluid isolators. A small-scale magnetorheological fluid device with squeeze mode is designed, and its performance is tested. The experimental results showed that the squeeze-mode magnetorheological fluid Isolators can provide a large range of damping force for energy dissipation with a small amount of input electric power. The major parameters of a small-scale test bench are obtained according to the similarity theory. The force transmissibility ratio and the relative acceleration transmissibility ratio are selected as evaluation index of system similarity. Furthermore, a test bench is built according to the small-scale model parameter analysis. The experimental studies showed that the bench testing results were consistency with that of theoretical model in evaluating the vibration force and acceleration. Therefore, the small-scale study of magnetorheological track vibration isolation system based on similarity theory reveals the isolation performance of a real slab track prototype system.