A review of research on design theory and engineering practice of high-speed railway turnout
Ping Wang, Jingmang Xu, Shuguo Wang, Yao Qian, Rong Chen, Fei Yang, Jiasheng Fang
Abstract
Abstract This paper systematically reviews the research progress, problems, specific countermeasures, and development trends of dynamic design theory as applied to high-speed railway turnouts. This includes wheel–rail contact solving, high-speed vehicle–turnout dynamic interaction simulation, analysis of long-term turnout performance deterioration, safety assessment of trains passing through the turnout, and the maintenance and management of turnout serviceability. High-speed turnouts still face severe technical challenges with regard to their acclimation to the future development of rail transit technology. Some of these challenges include the suitability of next-generation higher-speed turnouts to a complex environment, lifecycle design, optimization of wheel–rail matching and vehicle–turnout dynamic performance, real-time status capture and performance assessment, health management and damage prediction. It is now necessary to deepen the basic theoretical study of high-speed railway turnouts, and integrate cutting-edge techniques, such as advanced materials and manufacturing, intelligence and automation, big data and cloud computing, in an effort to enhance China’s capabilities for original innovation in high-speed railway turnout technology. By analysing the present situation in a problem-orientated manner, this paper aims to provide a new perspective, as well as some basic data for academic research into technological innovations for railway engineering.