| Abstract: | In the following text, the influence of the stiffness of rail fastening systems of high‐speed railway lines on the dynamic stability of a vehicle travelling along a straight track is investigated. The dynamic behaviour of the rail head in lateral direction is incorporated in the model by means of mechanical models derivedfrom a preceding frequency analysis of the track. For the wheel‐rail interface, linear contact mechanics and kinematic relations are applied. The investigation leads to the conclusion that on high‐speed lines the critical velocity of vehicles is reduced as a result of the increased elasticity of the rail pads. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) |
