Design Optimization of Switch Rails in Railway Turnouts
Paper in proceeding, 2012

Inspired by the manufacturing process of switch rails for railway turnouts, a method for the optimization of switch rail profile geometry is presented. The switch rail profile geometry is parameterized with four design variables to define a B-spline curve for the milling tool profile, and two design variables to prescribe the deviation from the nominal vertical path of the milling tool. The optimization problem is formulated as a multi-objective minimization problem with objective functions based on the contact pressure and the energy dissipation in the wheel–rail contact. The front of Pareto optimal solutions is determined by applying a genetic type optimization algorithm. The switch rail profile designs are evaluated by simulations of dynamic train–turnout interaction using a commercial code for multi-body dynamics. The vehicle model is a freight wagon with Y25 bogies and 25 metric tonnes axle load. Traffic is simulated in both travelling directions in the diverging route of a 60E1-760-1:15 turnout. It is concluded that the obtained set of Pareto optimal solutions corresponds to a rather small variation in design variables where increased profile height and increased profile shoulder protuberance are preferred for both objectives.

optimization

rail profile

turnout

freight

switch

railway

Author

Björn Pålsson

Dynamics

Jens Nielsen

Dynamics

9th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems, CM 2012

9th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems, CM 2012
Chengdu, China,

Areas of Advance

Transport

Subject Categories

Applied Mechanics

Vehicle Engineering

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Latest update

11/18/2022