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时实际提供零二氧化碳排放的电动交通工具。减少交通运输的二氧化碳排放将需要从公路到铁路的大规模转变，这本身就是一个挑战，因为即使是英国10%的转变也会使铁路运输量翻一番。在此之前，自1994年以来，铁路旅行翻了一番，网络的使用强度增加，暴露了传统轨道形式的局限性，因为实时维修需求增加，可用于维修的时间减少。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。铁路运输对社会福祉、再生和增长的贡献已经确立；铁路现在被视为释放繁荣、改善英国东西连通性和缩小南北经济差距的关键。计划中的英国和国际铁路投资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了有效、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来节省成本和改善环境性能的空间是巨大的：Network Rail目前每年花费35亿GB。用于基础设施维护和更新，并将在2014-9年度投资380亿GB。通向未来的轨道(T2F)将发现科学知识并开发分析工具，以设计长寿命、低噪音、安装经济、只需最少维护并优化环境性能的铁路轨道系统。它将在三个关键领域带来阶段性的改进：1.轨道寿命：从现金和碳的角度来看，轨道维护成本高昂，并干扰运营。T2F将探索新的、低维护的赛道形式。它将有助于理解轨道刚度和沉降量之间的关系(可以测量)和导致性能恶化的轨道差异运动之间的关系。它将通过了解、消除或减轻劣化的原因延长道碴寿命，并开发在劣化发生后仍能长期良好运行的设计；并将促进道碴的重复使用，而不是降级或处置。2.道岔(点)和过渡：当列车改变方向、交叉轨道或其他基础设施时，几何形状、支撑、车轮轮廓和车辆动力学之间存在复杂的交互作用。对此认识不足，需要频繁、昂贵和破坏性的维护。T2F将汇集地面支持、道岔区或过渡区几何形状以及车辆动力学等关键领域，以可靠地评估交叉和过渡区行为、寿命和维护需求。3.噪音和振动：随着使用的增加，公众对铁路振动和噪音的容忍度正在下降，但这些传统上被视为设计中的次要因素。T2F将通过建模和全尺寸测试，开发和展示一种低噪音、低振动的轨道，符合降低整个使用成本和低维护的要求。在每个方面，T2F都将解决轨道系统在现代环境中受到数百万次复杂载荷循环的影响，考虑到噪声、振动、车辆动力学和地面行为、载荷的不均匀和响应的非线性的综合影响。这项研究将导致根据合理的基本原则和对行为的可靠观察，开发综合工具，用于评估轨道系统的性能，包括过渡和穿越、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年适合21世纪的基础设施愿景。

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.