Study on long-term tracking of rail corrugation and the influence of parameters.

Rail corrugation is a common form of damage in subway tracks. This paper presents the results of a 1.5-year study of track wear at two sites on the Chengdu Metro. Findings revealed the appearance of corrugation with a 30 mm main wavelength near the middle of the curve on the low rail of a 350 m radius track. As the subway's operating hours extended, the corrugation expanded toward the transition curves, and the wavelength changed. Conversely, no rail corrugation was seen on the rails of a 610 m radius curved track. A finite element model of the wheelset–rail system was established based on friction-induced self-excited vibration (FSV), and complex eigenvalue and instantaneous dynamic analysis methods were employed on the model to predict corrugation. Results showed that the increased elasticity modulus of the rail pad and baseplate pad could restrain long-pitch corrugation, and matching the material parameter of the pads reasonably reduced the frequency of short-pitch corrugation (SPC). In addition, the lack of corrugation on the 610 m radius track was studied, with results showing that the creep forces at the interface were not saturated. Thus, no FSV occurred, and no corrugation arose. • Long-term tracking of corrugation on the rails of a 350 m and 610 m radius track. • Corrugation position and wavelength changed as the subway's operating accumulated. • Friction-induced self-excited vibration was the leading cause of rail corrugation. • Vibrational interference of guiding wheelsets causes the change of corrugation. • Increasing the elastic modulus of pads can inhibit long-pitch corrugation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]