Prediction of Long-Term Damage in Railway Crossings Accounting for Variability in Dynamic Traffic Loads

A multidisciplinary methodology for the prediction of long-term damage in a railway crossing is demonstrated by simulating the plastic deformation and wear after 1.5 MGT of traffic. The results are compared with field measurements, and a good qualitative agreement is observed. Potential reasons for discrepancies are discussed. Additionally, a parameter study is performed, where the results suggest that assuming the vehicle–track dynamics is constant in the short term for a number of wheel passages is a reasonable approach to reduce the computational effort.