To investigate the influence of subgrade differential settlement on the accumulation state and mechanical performance of ballasted beds, an equivalent simulation method suitable for large-scale Discrete Element Method (DEM) analysis was proposed. This method simulates the settlement development process by continuously displacing the bottom boundary of the ballast bed, allowing comprehensive consideration of the coupled effects of rail loading and subgrade settlement deformation on ballast bed state. Based on this method, a three-dimensional DEM model of a ballasted track with a total length of 24 meters was constructed. The impacts of subgrade settlement on the ballast bed density, support stiffness and lateral stability of the ballast bed were analyzed, and the mechanism was explored from the mesoscale. The results show that the subgrade differential settlement with a wavelength of 20 m and or more does not significantly affect the packing density of ballast bed. The top surface of ballast and subgrade exhibit approximately coordinated deformation. Long-wavelength subgrade settlement triggers a notable reduction in support stiffness and sleeper lateral resistance. This performance degradation primarily occurs during the initial settlement phase and after the emergence of sleeper hanging. When settlement amplitude exceeds 100 mm, local reductions in both parameters can reach 50%, more easily inducing rapid accumulation of short-wave track irregularities. At the mesoscale, the performance degradation stems from the combined disturbances of subgrade deformation and rail uplift force, leading to a loosening of inter-particle contacts between ballst particles, while the contact state between sleepers and ballast is also significantly weakened.
我国铁路线网绵延千里,沿途气候及水文地质条件复杂多变,受区域环境变化[1]、邻近施工扰动[2]、基础结构差异[3]等影响,路基不可避免地出现不均匀沉降。随着高速铁路运营年限的增加,路基变形问题日益显现,部分线路区段的最大沉降速率超过100 mm · a-1[4]。当路基不均匀沉降传递至轨道时,会引发波长较长、幅值缓变的中长波不平顺,对高速列车的运行平稳性和乘坐舒适性具有显著影响[5],严重时引发线路限速,降低运输效率。现场实测数据表明,在路基沉降区段,车体垂向振动加速度明显增大,甚至出现连续超限情况[6-7]。此外,路基不均匀沉降还可能导致轨枕底部与道床顶面之间出现局部空隙,形成轨枕空吊病害,加剧轨道结构受力不均和状态恶化[8]。
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