Investigating vehicle-slab track interaction considering random track bed stiffness

This paper deals with the modeling of a vertically coupled vehicle-slab trackusing the nite element method. the slab track system is represented by a two layereuler-bernoulli beam model, including a rail and a concrete slab. the vertical stinessof the track bed is assumed to be a random variable using monte carlo simulation. thevehicle is simplied as a multi-body system with 10 degrees of freedom. the accuracyof the simulation is veried by deterministic and random approaches, as well. sensitivityanalyses of the various parameters such as slab thickness, coecient of track bed stinessand vehicle velocity are performed. it is demonstrated that the uncertainty in track bedstiness has a major eect on rail and slab deections. from a practical point of view, theobtained results of the present study can be utilized eciently in the analysis and designof slab track systems.