Damping parameters of ballasted track on railway bridges part II: energy dissipation in the ballasted track and related calculation model

Calculations of the dynamics of railway bridges rely on a broad range of pertinent models which analyse the dynamic properties of the ballasted track. However, the substantial variations of related stiffness and damping parameters complicate appropriate implementation into vibration prognoses. Relying on dynamic calculations gained from a special test facility, which allows to analyse the ballasted track (isolated from the bridge structure), it is possible to determine related damping parameters. Those core parameters correspond to a mechanical model which is tuned to the energy dissipation and damping mechanisms arising in the ballasted track. Within the scope of this test the damping parameters show significant dependencies as regards frequency, acceleration and displacement, but at the same time cause minimal variances within these dependencies. This facilitates the set-up of a sufficiently precise and realistic calculation model for the ballasted track, plus related core parameters.