Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of train-induced end rotation of simple supported track girder on the performance of a direct fixation track system (DFTS) in Yeongjong grand bridge. In this study, the influences of deflection of a DFTS and track girder on dynamic rail-track girder interaction forces for the track girder ends currently employed in airport express lines were assessed by performing field tests using actual vehicles running along the service lines. Therefore, the dynamic displacement of rail and track girder and the fastener stress on the center and ends sections of DFTS were measured for two different trains (AREX and KTX) running in Yeongjong grand bridge. A three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) model using the time-history function based on the design wheel load was used to predict the train-induced track and track girder displacement, and the FEA and field test results were compared. The analytical results reproduced the experimental results well within about 3-7% difference in the values. Therefore, the FEA model of DFTS on track girder is considered to provide sufficiently reliable FEA results in the investigation of the behavior of DFTS. Using the analytical and experimental results, the influence of train-induced end rotation of simple supported track girder on the interaction behavior of rail and track girder installed on a simple supported track girder ends, i.e., upward displacement of rail-track girder and the fastener stress, was investigated. It was found that the train-induced end rotation effect of track girder was not significantly affected by the upward displacement of rails and the fastener stresses of track girder ends. Further, the interaction behavior of rail and track girder were similar to or less than that of the general railway bridge deck ends, nevertheless the vertical displacement of track was higher than that of conventional DFTS on the general railway bridge. From the results, the dynamic responses of the DFTS on track girder ends were not significantly affected by the safety and stability of DFTS ends.