The science and analytical tools to design long life, low noise railway track systems

电气化铁路是唯一一种在使用点实现零二氧化碳排放的动力运输形式。减少交通运输产生的二氧化碳排放将需要从公路大规模转向铁路，这本身就是一个挑战，因为在英国，即使是10%的转变也会使铁路交通增加一倍。除此之外，自1994年以来，铁路旅行增加了一倍，铁路网络的使用强度也增加了，随着实时维护需求的增加和可用维护时间的减少，传统轨道形式的局限性暴露出来。铁路行业也面临着降低成本和环境影响的压力，包括噪音和振动，这往往是反对新建和升级线路的主要原因。铁路运输对社会福利、复兴和增长的贡献是众所周知的；如今，铁路被视为开启繁荣、改善英国东西连通、缩小南北经济差距的关键。英国和国际铁路投资计划是一个世纪以来前所未有的，但不断增长的需求和预期暴露出有效、理性投资所需的知识缺口。通过更好的轨道系统设计和寿命，节省成本和改善环境绩效的空间是巨大的：网络铁路公司目前每年在基础设施维护和更新上花费35亿英镑，并将在2014-9年投资380亿英镑。TRACK to the FUTURE （T2F）将发现科学知识并开发分析工具，以设计长寿命，低噪音的铁路轨道系统，这些系统安装经济，需要最少的维护，并优化环境绩效。它将在三个关键领域实现渐进式改进：轨道寿命：轨道维护在现金和碳方面都是昂贵的，并且会干扰运营。T2F将探索新的、低维护的轨道形式。它将发展轨道刚度和沉降之间的关系的理解，这是可以测量的，和差分运动的轨道，这导致性能恶化。通过了解、消除或减轻劣化的原因，并开发出在劣化开始后仍能长时间保持良好性能的设计，可以延长压舱物的寿命；并将有利于镇流器的再利用，而不是降级循环或处置。切换（点）和过渡：火车改变方向、穿越轨道或其他基础设施的地方，存在几何、支撑、车轮轮廓和车辆动力学的复杂相互作用。这一点还没有得到充分的理解，需要经常进行昂贵和破坏性的维护。T2F将把地面支援、开关或过渡区几何形状和车辆动力学等关键领域结合起来，以可靠地评估穿越和过渡区行为、寿命和维护需求。噪音和振动：随着铁路使用的增加，公众对铁路振动和噪音的容忍度正在下降，但这些在设计中通常被认为是次要的。T2F将通过建模和全尺寸测试，开发和演示一种低噪音、低振动的轨道，从而降低整个使用寿命成本和低维护成本。在每个方面，T2F都将解决轨道系统在现代环境中所承受的数百万次复杂载荷的影响，同时考虑到噪声、振动、车辆动力学和地面行为、载荷的非均匀性和非线性响应的综合影响。这项研究将导致综合工具的发展，基于健全的基本原则和可靠的行为观察，用于评估轨道系统的性能，包括过渡和交叉，噪音和振动。这些将被纳入现有的行业分析模型，以提高铁路轨道系统的性能并减少维护需求，以支持DfT铁路技术战略2040的21世纪基础设施愿景。

Electrified railways are the only form of powered transport realistically offering zero CO2 emissions at point of use. A reduction in CO2 emissions from transport will require a massive shift from road to rail, itself a challenge as even a 10% shift in the UK would double rail traffic. This is on top of a doubling in rail travel and increased intensity of use of the network since 1994, exposing the limitations of traditional track forms as real time maintenance needs increased and the time available for maintenance reduced. The rail industry is also under pressure to reduce costs and environmental impacts including noise and vibration, often a major cause of objections to proposed new and upgraded lines.The contribution of rail transport to social wellbeing, regeneration and growth is well established; and rail is now seen as the key to unlocking prosperity, improving east-west connectivity in the UK and reducing the north-south economic divide. Planned UK and international rail investment is unprecedented in a century, but increased demands and expectations have revealed gaps in the knowledge needed for effective, rational investment. Scope for cost savings and improved environmental performance through better track system design and longevity is substantial: Network Rail currently spends £3.5bn p.a. on infrastructure maintenance and renewal, and will invest £38bn in 2014-9. TRACK to the FUTURE (T2F) will discover the scientific knowledge and develop the analytical tools to design long-life, low-noise railway track systems that are economical to install, require minimal maintenance, and optimize environmental performance. It will deliver step-change improvements in three key areas:1.Track life: track maintenance is costly in cash and carbon terms, and interferes with operations. T2F will explore new, low-maintenance track forms. It will develop an understanding of the relationships between track stiffness and settlement, which can be measured, and differential movement of the track, which causes performance to deteriorate. It will extend ballast life by understanding and eliminating or mitigating causes of deterioration and developing designs that will continue to perform well long after deterioration has set in; and will facilitate ballast re-use rather than downcycling or disposal.2.Switches (points) and transitions: where trains change direction and cross tracks or other infrastructure there is a complex interaction of geometry, support, wheel profile and vehicle dynamics. This is not sufficiently understood and frequent costly and disruptive maintenance is required. T2F will draw together the key areas of ground support, switch or transition zone geometry, and vehicle dynamics for the reliable assessment of crossing and transition zone behaviour, life and maintenance needs.3.Noise and vibration: public tolerance of vibration and noise from railways is decreasing as use intensifies, yet these are traditionally regarded as secondary in design. T2F will develop and demonstrate, through modelling and full-scale testing, a low-noise, low-vibration track consistent with reduced whole life costs and low maintenance.In every aspect, T2F will address the effects of millions of cycles of complex loads to which track systems are subjected in a modern environment, taking into account the combined effects of noise, vibration, vehicle dynamics and ground behaviour, non-uniformities of loading and non-linearities in response. The research will lead to the development of integrated tools, based on sound fundamental principles and reliable observations of behaviour, for assessing performance of track systems including transitions and crossings, noise and vibration. These will be incorporated into existing industry analytical models to improve the performance and reduce maintenance needs of railway track systems, in support of the DfT Rail Technical Strategy 2040 vision of infrastructure fit for the 21st century.