Vertical Nonlinear Temperature Gradient and Temperature Load Mode of Ballastless Track in China

Abstract

In the process of heat exchange with the external environment, the internal temperature of ballastless track structure presents a nonlinear distribution. The vertical temperature gradient will cause repeated warping and deformation of track slab, resulting in mortar layer separation, which will affect driving comfort and track durability. The traditional temperature field analysis method of concrete structure based on thermodynamics has the disadvantages of too many assumptions, difficult parameter selection and too much calculation of energy consumption. In this paper, based on the finite element software ANSYS, the heat exchange was transformed into the boundary condition of heat flux, which was applied to the thermodynamic analysis model to study the nonlinear temperature distribution law of ballastless track. The accuracy of the analysis method was verified by the measured data. On this basis, the regional distribution law of temperature gradient of ballastless track under different geographical coordinates and climatic conditions was studied. By adding a regional adjustment coefficient, the vertical temperature load model of ballastless track suitable for typical areas in China was proposed. The proposed temperature load model makes up for the lack of refinement of climate division and temperature load model in relevant specifications, and has strong engineering application and popularization value.