Comprehensive Analysis of Ballasted Track Sleeper Dynamics for High-Speed Trains: A Three-Dimensional Flexible Track Model

This paper investigates the response of a ballasted track sleeper support under varying high-speed train loads with an emphasis on the integration of flexible track–train interaction methods. To achieve this, a 3D rigid high-speed train model coupled with a flexible ballast track is developed. A multibody China Railway High-Speed 3 (CRH3) train-type SIMPACK model consisting of six coupled vehicles with a 35-degree-of-freedom multibody subsystem is established. The track rail and sleeper are modeled using Ansys Parametric Design Language (APDL) software as flexible components and then exported to the multibody SIMPACK model. Additionally, the paper analyzes the influences of track irregularities on the vibration characteristics of the sleeper. The model is successfully validated against field-measured simulation data reported in the literature. The results of numerical simulations demonstrate that the dynamic vibrational response of the sleeper is significantly influenced by the presence of uneven irregularities and increasing train speeds. Moreover, it has been found that the response of the sleeper in the vertical direction is more sensitive in the middle section of the flexible track.