Vertical vibration analysis of temperature-stressed CWR using wave number finite element method

Rail stress in continuously welded railway (CWR) is a quite difficult problem for track maintenance and how to measure the temperature stress in the rail accurately is an important topic. In this paper, the wave number finite element method for a periodic structure is adopted to investigate this problem. This method combines the Fourier transform method with the periodic theory, so that it can be used to analyse the periodicity characteristics of track structure. Based on this method, two different single-layer beam track models under axial force are established, that is, the continuously supported model and the periodic discretely supported model. In both models, the rail is regarded as a Timoshenko beam and the elasticity of the other parts under the rail is represented by a dynamic receptance matrix, [H(omega)]. By changing the magnitude of the temperature stress, the influence of the temperature stress on vertical vibration characteristics of the track structure is analysed.