Dynamic behaviour of a novel transition wedge composed by prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs

Abrupt variations of track stiffness in transitions from conventional to slab track, e.g., over bridges and tunnels, usually lead to passenger discomfort, vehicle and track damage and even safety issues. Therefore, to minimize this negative effect, it is very convenient to smooth the stiffness changes in such transitions; and wedges arise as a very effective technique. Although granular wedges are commonly suggested by railroad managers as a solution, this typology presents some disadvantages, e.g., high construction time and costs, that should be addressed. In this paper, a new solution based on prefabricated, reinforced concrete slabs is presented and its dynamical performance is assessed by means of a 3D FEM model. Results indicate that track vibrations both on the rail and over a sleeper are considerably reduced when the new slab-based wedge is considered instead of a traditional granular wedge