Analytical Models for Railway Track Structural Analysis Based on Numerical and Experimental Data

Resumo

Since the 19th century, mechanistic models based on the theory of elasticity have been developed to structurally analyze the permanent way. In this context, the Winkler model considers the rail as a beam infinitely supported on an elastic base, from which the analytical solutions derived presented in this research were compared with numerical and experimental results, from operational data recorded in the Carajás Railway. The software Matlab and SAP 2000 were used to develop the analytical and numerical models, respectively. The comparison considered the loading scenarios for a wheel, with the bogie and the coupling region between wagons, and evaluating the influence of the superposition of effects. The results obtained in both the analytical and numerical models proved to be reliable in the real structural representation of the permanent way.