Dynamic Analysis of Slab Track with Crack Considering Rail Corrugation

To investigate the dynamic response of ballastless slab track with crack in the rail corrugation area under the load of urban rail vehicle, this study establishes a vertical coupling dynamic model of the vehicle-rail-slab track, considering crack and rail corrugation. The exact closed-form solution of the vibration mode of the Euler Bernoulli beam with crack is introduced. Furthermore, a finite element model of the slab track is developed, and the vertical dynamic model’s fastening force is applied to the slab track at the rail corrugation frequency to calculate the surface compressive stress of the slab track. The results indicate that, under rail corrugation conditions of varying magnitudes, the presence of crack induces higher vertical acceleration amplitudes in the slab track at low frequencies. As the wave depth increases, the acceleration of the slab track at the crack gradually intensifies. Moreover, with an increasing wavelength, the corresponding frequency to the acceleration amplitude of the slab track at the crack gradually decreases. Notably, when the wave depth is 0.2 mm and the wavelength is 50 mm, the axle load transfer rate exhibits the greatest increase. These research findings offer valuable insights for the maintenance of urban rail transit slab track systems.