Mapping thermal deformations of long-span arch bridge to CRTS Type I double-block ballastless tracks in high-speed railways

The geometry change of railway tracks significantly influences the safety and ride comfort of high-speed trains. This paper presents an analytical method to map the thermal deformations of a long-span arch bridge to the geometry of CRTS Type I double-block ballastless tracks for high-speed railways. A mechanical model of the bridge-track coupled system was developed to derive analytical formulae of the deformations of the track. The analytical formulae explicitly consider the mechanical properties of the bridge-track coupled system and the temperature profile. A three-dimensional finite element model was established to evaluate the predictions obtained from the analytical formulae. The results show that the analytical formulae provide accurate predictions of the track deformations caused by the thermal deformations of bridges. This research will promote the design, evaluation, and operation of high-speed railway bridges for improved safety and ride comfort in engineering practices.