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ISSN 2753-3239
ISSN 2753-3239
CCC: 1
PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
Edited by: J. Pombo
Paper 8.4
Characterization of Contact Parameters for Discrete Element modelling of Swiss Railway Ballast
K. Balamonica1, B. Morin1, C.J.G. Plummer2, V. Michaud2, J. Cugnoni3, J.Oertli4, H. Frauenrath2 and B. van Damme1
1Abteilung Akustik / Lärmminderung. Empa, Dubendorf
2Institute of Materials,Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne
3Institut de conception mécanique et technologie des matériaux. Haute École d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud (HEIG-VD), Yverdon-les-Bains
4Schweizerische Bundesbahnen AG (SBB), Bern, Schweiz
Full Bibliographic Reference for this paper
K. Balamonica, B. Morin, C.J.G. Plummer, V. Michaud, J. Cugnoni, J.Oertli, H. Frauenrath, B. van Damme, "Characterization of Contact Parameters for Discrete Element modelling of Swiss Railway Ballast", in J. Pombo, (Editor), "Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Railway Technology: Research, Development and Maintenance",
Civil-Comp Press, Edinburgh, UK,
Online volume: CCC 1, Paper 8.4, 2022, doi:10.4203/ccc.1.8.4
Keywords: swiss ballast, discrete element method, bulk calibration.
Abstract
Ballast is an integral part of the rail network which helps for effective load transfer between the rails and subgrade. Modelling of ballast is often carried out using finite element methods which considers ballast as a continuous material in which properties such as void ratio, particle rearrangements cannot be directly modelled or monitored. Discrete element method on the other hand models ballast as an ensemble of discrete particles which interact with each other through contact models. The drawbacks of using finite element method for a discrete system can be overcome by using discrete element methods. The paper presented describes the contact parameter estimation procedure adopted to model the Swiss ballast in the discrete element method. The contact parameters required such as the Young’s modulus, coefficient of restitution, friction coefficient, and Poisson’s ratio are approximated using bulk calibration approach. The approximated parameters will be used further to model the ballast behaviour in the discrete element method.
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