Analysis of Thermal Track Buckling in the Lateral Plane

Interim report; Sep - Nov 1975PDFTech ReportDOT-TSC-FRA-76-17FRA-OR&D-76-285DOT-TSC-900BucklingHigh temperatureThermal stressesRailroad tracksMathematical modelsUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Railroad AdministrationKerr, Arnold D.Princeton UniversityJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)AGR-INFRASTRUCTURE-RailroadsNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-RAIL TRANSPORTATIONNTL-RAIL TRANSPORTATION-Rail SafetyNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Vehicle DesignNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITYNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Rail SafetyVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterThe post-buckling equilibrium states are determined analytically. To obtain a consistent formulation of the problem, use is made of the principle of virtual displacements and the variational calculus for variable matching points. The obtained formulations are nonlinear, but can be solved exactly. Solutions are presented for four buckled configurations. The results are presented graphically for a typical railroad track now in use on main lines. The obtained results are compared with the corresponding results of other investigators