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ABAQUS Rail Track Stress distribution not accurate

ABAQUS Rail Track Stress distribution not accurate

ABAQUS Rail Track Stress distribution not accurate

(OP)
Good evening,

I am attempting to model a rail track using ABAQUS CAE software. My track parameters have been selected, and a dynamic load is to be run along the full length of the track. The 3D track is being modeled using the Explicit/Dynamic settings. My problem is that when my track is loaded with either a static load or a dynamic load, the stress does not pass beyond the rail. Even at locations where the stress is significantly greater than 0 at the rail foot, it is not passing into the rail pads or sleepers (stress at these elements is 0). I initially thought that perhaps my dynamic load was being applied for too short a time and not having time to propagate through the structure, however the response is still not correct with the static case.

I have used TIE constraints to link every rail pad top surface to the rail bottom surface, the rail pad bottom surface to the sleeper top surface etc. I have also tried changing the end boundary conditions for the system from encastre to pinned, this has made no difference. I have refined my mesh in case this was preventing elements from interacting. Finally I have tried to apply General Contact Interaction to the system to see whether this should be used instead of TIES. I am quite new to ABAQUS and therefore do not fully appreciate the difference between TIES and Contact Interaction, however I know that they cannot be used together simultaneously.

The overall track deflection/deformed shape also seems incorrect. I think that for some reason the load is not being passed from the rails into the other track components, but I have no idea why.

I have attached a picture to show how my stress distribution looks, hopefully this will illustrate my problem more clearly. This particular model has pinned ends, and TIE constraints throughout the model, with concentrated loads acting on the centre of the rails. As you can see the stress distribution varies throughout the rail as expected, but then becomes instantly constant throughout the rest of the model below the rails.

Thank you for your assistance,

Kind Regards,

JB2016

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