Maintenance Method for Rail Corrugation Considering Wheel–Rail Interaction Force

Rail corrugation causes various problems such as a decrease in ride comfort due to aggravation of train noise and vibration, and an increase in the amount of track component maintenance due to the amplification of the track impact. Most of the preceding research on rail corrugation has been conducted on the causes and characteristics of rail corrugation, but there are no countermeasures or management plans for existing rail corrugation. In this study, dynamic track response measurement results are analyzed. The dynamic wheel load, rail acceleration, and displacement of the rails and sleepers due to rail grinding were reduced by approximately 48%, 18%, and 12%, respectively. The analysis model was confirmed to be appropriate by comparing the measured and analyzed values of the dynamic wheel load before and after rail grinding in the section where rail corrugation occurred. Additionally, a maintenance method for rail corrugation was proposed considering the wheel–rail interaction force by calculating the appropriate grinding amount (upper and lower limit) for each train speed.