Lateral Track Stability

G S Yadav
PB2, IRICEN
• Important Issues :
 Parameters Affecting Track Strength against Buckling :
1. Ballast resistance : Lateral and longitudinal
2. Torsional stiffness of Rail sleeper fastenings
3. Stiffness of rails in vertical and lateral direction

 Parameters Affecting Destabilising Forces :

1. Compressive forces in rails : Temperature, creep
2. Dynamic effect of vehicle : uplift waves causing reduction in lateral resistance
3. Effect of Misalignment amplitude and wavelength

 Theory Of Track Stability:

1. Static and Dynamic buckling
2. Buckling mechanisms
3. Buckling safety criteria
 Ballast Resistance

Longitudinal Resistance :
• Resistance offered by fasteners to
rail and by ballast to sleepers
against longitudinal movement
• Net longitudinal resistance is f = k fu
controlled by the weaker of the two kf = longitudinal stiffness
components u= longitudinal displacement
• On IR we try to maintain fasteners to
rail resistance as more than the
ballast to sleepers resistance. Thus
the ballast to sleepers resistance
controls the longitudinal resistance
• During buckling 4-6 mm longitudinal
displacement is observed
 Ballast Resistance
Lateral Resistance :
• Lateral resistance is the lateral
reaction forces exerted by the
ballast on the sleepers
• Peak lateral resistance Fp
corresponding to displacement wp
• Limiting lateral resistance FL
corresponding to displacement wL
• Fp occurs at an displacement of
about 10 to12mm, whereas the
limiting resistance occurs at
displacement of 75 to 125 mm.
Torsional stiffness of Rail Sleeper fastenings
• Torsional resistance is exerted on rails by the fasteners, and
influence the rigidity of the track structure in the lateral plane,
hence the buckling strength
• Based on tests conducted, the response can be idealised as a linear
function of rotation :
τ = τ0θ , where
τ = applied torque per fastener
τ0 = torsional stiffness per rail seat
θ = rotation angle
 Compressive Forces in Rail
Maximum compressive thermal force in central portion of LWR : AEαΔT
1. ΔT is maximum rise in temperature from Stress Free Temp (Tn)
2. Difference between Installation temp/De-stressing temp and Stress Free Temp ?
Creep induced compressive forces :
3. Factors responsible for creep : tractive/braking forces, drag forces, weak track resistance,
4. Locations where compressive force due to creep gets generated : gradients, fixed structures,
vicinity of speed restrictions, vicinity of signals etc
 Dynamic Effect of Vehicle Loads
• Central wave generally has maximum
reduction in the lateral resistance and
is therefore critical for buckling
• Buckling under the central wave uplift
should be distinguished from the
potential track shift that could occur if
the wheels carry high lateral loads
during negotiation of curves and
lateral misalignments
• Buckling due to central wave uplift is
generally not dependent on the net
axle lateral load (NAL) because lateral
deflection, if any, from NAL load is
confined to a small region under the UPLIFT WAVES
wheel where lateral resistance is
highest
 Theory of Track Stability
Buckling mechanism
Pre and Post Buckled track configuration
δ0 = amplitude of small initial sinusoidal
misalignment
2L0 = wavelength of initial misalignment
WB = amplitude at unstable equilibrium state
WC = amplitude of buckled track
2L = wavelength of buckled track
1. At unstable equilibrium state track
buckles suddenly into a new lateral
position WC , spanning a length of 2L
2. Magnitude of WC is in the order of 15 cm
to 75 cm
3. Wavelength can be of the order of 12m
to 24 m
 Theory of Track Stability
• Track buckling theories are based upon mechanistic track model shown below :

 Buckling force is combined compressive force in both the rails: depends on rail cross section and temp rise
 Lateral resistance generated between sleepers and ballast as well as longitudinal and torsional resistances
in rail fasteners offers the resistive force against buckling
 Buckling theories can be divided into two categories: deterministic and probabilistic
 Buckling Mode Shapes

LWR TRACK LATERAL BUCKLING MODES

Actual mode shape is largely influenced by the shape of the initial misalignment
Tangent track typically buckles out in shape III
Curved track buckles in shape I
 Tangent Vs Curved Track
• Buckling behaviour of curved track is generally different from tangent track
• Buckling on tangent track is generally a sudden explosive type and can displace
to either side depending upon direction of initial misalignments or the weaker
side of lateral resistance
• Tangent Track generally buckle in shape III
• Curved track generally buckle in shape I. Because of initial curvature it would
require significant energy to bend the rail in the opposite direction of its
curvature
• Another special feature of curved track buckling is the tendency towards
progressive buckling
Buckling Response Curves
Fig a : Process of buckling in terms of temp increase
above neutral temp versus the max deflection
As temp increases to a max level, ΔTBmax , it will increase the
initial misalignment to WB , an unstable equilibrium state
Fig a At this state track can buckle out suddenly into a new lateral
position, WC
Magnitude of WC is typically of the order of 15cm to 75cm
and its wavelength can be of the order of 12m to 24 m
Fig b : Process of buckling representing all possible
buckled positions in dashed overlay on Fig a
Fig b Multiple positions of equilibrium can exist between ΔTBmaxand
ΔTBmin

The dashed pre-buckle branch up to ΔTBmax represent stable

equilibrium
The dotted branch down to ΔTBmin represent unstable
equilibrium, and
The dashed branch increasing up to C and beyond is stable
Buckling Response Curves

If sufficient energy is supplied ( such as by train

action) the track can jump from a pre-buckling
stable configuration to a post-buckling stable
Fig c configuration (through unstable configuration)
at temp below ΔTBmax as shown ① to ② to ③
Track Quality influence on Buckling Response Characteristics

Δ > 100F Δ: between 00 -100F Δ: 00F

• Shape of buckling response curve depends upon on the specific track parameters and
conditions ( ie track quality)
• Good quality track will have a large difference between the maximum buckling temp ΔTBmax and
min buckling temp ΔTBmin
Static VS Dynamic Buckling Models
• Static buckling model ignores the effects of
vehicle loads and considers the buckling of track
from longitudinal compressive forces only
• In the buckling region, the resistance to lateral
buckling is offered by a sleeper-ballast structure
with no vehicle vertical load influence
• It is incorrect to use these results to explain
buckling occurring in conjunction with train
movements.
• The correct modelling requires the inclusion of
the vehicle vertical loads and their influence on
lateral resistance
• The vertical loads are distributed along the track
depending on the axle and truck centre spacing
of the vehicle
 Force Drop/ Buckle Influence Zone

• Sudden explosive buckles result in rail force

drop ( energy release)in the buckled zone
• Large lateral displacement contributes to rail
extension that releases some of the
compressive load
• Lateral displacement in buckling zone is
accompanied by longitudinal motion in the
outside zones which feeds the rail in the
buckling zone
• Rail force distribution in the buckled and
adjoining zones is significantly altered
• This needs to be kept in mind while repairing RAIL FORCE DISTRIBUTION AFTER BUCKLING
buckled track
 Sensitivity Analysis
Following are primary parameters that affect the buckling strength and buckling
response :
• Rail size
• Track foundation Modulus
• Lateral resistance ( Peak and Limiting)
• Longitudinal resistance ( only linear part relevant)
• Torsional stiffness of fasteners
• Curvature
• Misalignments
• Vehicle parameters
Desired Parameters for High Buckling Strengt
Parameter Desired Value Comments
Rail size Buckling strength goes up with decreasing rail size; however, rail
Small size selection is based on fatigue and wheel load considerations.
Peak lateral Buckling strength goes up with increasing lateral resistance. After
resistance maintenance, ensure adequate consolidation by traffic or
High mechanical stabilization. Also, ensure/maintain adequate ballast
shoulders and crib content.

Sleeper/ ballast Buckling strength increases with increasing sleeper/ballast

friction coefficient High friction. Consolidation tends to increase the coefficient. For
concrete sleepers, rough bottom surfaces help.
Torsional resistance Buckling strength increases with fasteners torsional resistance.
High Avoid broken or missing fastenings.
Longitudinal The benefit of this parameter is more in controlling the rail
resistance High neutral temperature by limiting longitudinal movement.
Desired Parameters for High Buckling Strengt
Parameter Desired Value Comments
Curvature Buckling strength decreases with curvature. To counteract this
Low influence, maintain high neutral temperature and lateral
resistance.
Misalignment
amplitude Small
Good alignment is very important.
Misalignment
wavelength Large

Track foundation Vertically stiffer track is better from buckling point of view.
modulus High Track on weak formation is more prone for buckling due to
softer base
Axle load Increased axle loads tend to reduce the upper buckling
temperatures but with very little influence on ΔT Bmin. High axle
Small loads also require larger rail sections, which can further reduce
buckling strength.

Truck center spacing Within the range of typical truck center spacing the
Small or Large intermediate values tend to be the worst.
 Safety Criteria
The basic premise for CWR buckling safety assurance lies in the requirement
that :
“ CWR track shall have the buckling strength required to withstand the
environmental and operationally imposed loads for the range of expected
operating conditions”
For a set of operating conditions, above statement requires that:
“ allowable or permissible temperature increase (Tall )should be larger than the
anticipated maximum rail temperature increase( Tmax) above the stress free
temperature (Tn)”
Tall › ( Tmax-Tn)
Tall can be considered as the “required buckling strength” which is dependent on
the governing track and vehicle parameters
 Safety Criteria
• Stress free temperature Tn is not the installation or fastening temperature Tf ,
but the actual value in the service life of LWR which is usually different due to
changes induced by rail/track kinematics and maintenance actions
• A safety factor is applied to account for the stress free temperature variation.
The stress-free temperature is then given as :
Tn= Tf – SFTN
Where Tf is rail fastening or installation( destressing temperature in Indian
context) temperature, and SFTN is the stress –free temperature variation safety
factor. UIC prescribes this value in the range of 5-10oC
Safety Criteria definition in terms of “allowable
temperature increase” for safety level 1 and 2
THANKS