Effect of Bridge-Pier Differential Settlement on the Dynamic Response of a High-Speed Railway Train-Track-Bridge System

A model based on the theory of train-track-bridge coupling dynamics is built in the article to investigate how high-speed railway bridge pier differential settlement can affect various railway performance - related criteria. The performance of the model compares favorably with that of a 3D finite element model and train-track-bridge numerical model. The analysis of the study demonstrates that all the dynamic response for a span of 24 m is slightly larger than that for a span of 32 m. The wheel unloading rate increases with pier differential settlement for all of the calculation conditions considered, and its maximum value of 0.695 is well below the allowable limit. Meanwhile, the vertical acceleration increases with pier differential settlement and train speed, respectively, and the values for a pier differential settlement of 10 mm and speed of 350 km/h exceed the maximum allowable limit stipulated in the Chinese standards. On this basis, a speed limit for the exceeding pier differential settlement is determined for comfort consideration. Fasteners that had an initial tensile force due to pier differential settlement experience both compressive and tensile forces as the train passes through and are likely to have a lower service life than those which solely experience compressive forces.