Engineering, 2013, 5, 756-763

[Link] Published Online September 2013 ([Link]

Comparison of Measured and Dynamic Analysis

Vertical Accelerations of High-Speed Railway
Bridges Crossed by KTX Train
Hyejin Yoon, Won Jong Chin, Jeong-Rae Cho, Jae Yoon Kang, Jongwon Kwark
Structural Engineering Research Division, Korea Institute of Construction Technology, Goyang, South Korea
Email: hiyoon@[Link]

Received July 6, 2013; revised August 6, 2013; accepted August 13, 2013

Copyright © 2013 Hyejin Yoon et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT
Since high-speed railway bridges are subjected to cyclic loading by the continuous wheel loads traveling at high speed
and regular spacing, their dynamic behavior is of extreme importance and has significant influence on the riding safety
of the trains. To secure the riding safety of the trains, advanced railway countries have limited the vertical acceleration
of the bridge slab below critical values at specific frequency domains. Since these limitations of the vertical acceleration
constitute the most important factors in securing the dynamic safety of the bridges, these countries have opted for a
conservative approach. However, the Korean specifications limit only the size of the peak acceleration without consid-
ering the frequency domain, which impede significantly rational evaluation of the high-speed railway bridges in Korea.
In addition, the evaluation of the acceleration without consideration of the frequency domain is the cause of disagree-
ment between the dynamic analysis and measurement results. This study conducts field monitoring and dynamic analy-
sis on high-speed railway bridges to gather the acceleration signals and compare them. Significant difference in the size
of the vertical acceleration was observed between the measured and dynamic analysis accelerations when discarding the
frequency domain as done in the current specifications. The comparison of the accelerations considering only low fre-
quencies below 30 Hz showed that the dynamic analysis reflected accurately the measured vertical acceleration.

Keywords: High-Speed Railway Bridge; Vertical Acceleration; Dynamic Response

1. Introduction gradation of the horizontal resistance of the ballast. Ac-

cordingly, a limit value of 0.35 g was suggested for the
Europe has implemented continuously research on the
vibrational acceleration of the ballasted track slab by
dynamic behavior of railway bridges since 1950s. The
applying a safety factor of 2. Besides, a value of 0.50 g
D214 Project conducted by the European Rail Research
Institute (ERRI) Committee provided the fundamental was proposed for bridges without risk of loss of fastening
data that served as basis for the preparation of the speci- force of the ballast [3]. Based upon the research results of
fications related to the dynamic behavior of high-speed ERRI D214, Eurocode [4] and UIC [5] proposed limit
railway bridges in the Eurocode and UIC [1]. Especially, criteria for the vertical acceleration of the high-speed
the vibration acceleration specification of the bridge slab railway bridge. Eurocode limits the acceleration of the
constitutes the most important part for securing the dy- bridge to prevent the instability of the track and secure
namic stability if the high-speed railway bridge. Exces- riding safety. These values are 0.35 g for gravel ballast
sive acceleration occurring in the slab of the railway tracks and 0.50 g for concrete slab ballast. Eurocode
bridge may provoke resonance, loss of the fastening specifies to apply the following criterion for the check of
force of the ballast, reduction of contact force between the acceleration [4].
the ballast systems, stiffness loss and movement of the max 30 Hz, 1.5n0 , n3rd . (1)
track, uplift of the bearing, etc. [2]. ERRI conducted the
laboratory tests on gravel ballast track models. They where, n0 is the first fundamental frequency of the
found out that an acceleration of the bridge slab larger considered member (Hz); and, n3rd is the third fre-
than 0.7 g provoked vertical settlement and serious de- quency of the member (Hz). Similarly to the Eurocode,

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 H. YOON ET AL. 757

UIC specifies to maintain the acceleration of the slab Table 1. View and dimensions of Gomo viaduct.
below 0.35 g and 0.5 g at frequency smaller than 30 Hz
for the gravel ballast and concrete slab ballast, respec-
tively. In addition, the dynamic analysis using mode su-
perposition shall not only consider the frequencies up to
View
1.5 times the first mode frequency but also include at
least the third mode [5].
In Korea, research was implemented actively on the
dynamic behavior and dynamic characteristics of high-
speed railway bridges after the construction of the Type PSC Beam Monitored section S46(P45~A2)
Gyeongbu Line, the first high-speed railway line, but Track Ballast Span composition 1@25 m
without providing the fundamental dynamic properties
Girder depth 2.35 m Height of slab 280 mm
that could serve as basis for all types of specifications. A
review of the specifications used for the design of the
Table 2. View and dimensions of Seongdong viaduct.
high-speed railway bridges from the Gyeonbu Line to
date reveals that BRDM [6] applied for the Gyeongbu
Line and the High-Speed Railway Design Code [7] were
followed by the Honam High-Speed Railway Design
Guidelines [8] for the passenger-dedicated high-speed View
railway line, and the current Railway Design Code [9].
These regulations limit the vertical acceleration of the
slab of high-speed railway bridges to 0.35 g and 0.5 g for
gravel ballast and concrete ballast, respectively. However,
Type PSC BOX Monitored section S37 (P37~P38)
these specifications regulate only the size of the peak
vertical acceleration of the bridge slab as the Eurocode Track Concrete Span composition 1@50 m
but without considering the frequency domain. Since the Girder depth 3.65 m Height of slab 350 mm
acceleration response varies sensitively with the fre-
quency at which the acceleration signal is measured, the 2.2. Field Monitoring
effective frequency domain shall be imperatively consid-
ered during the comparison with the dynamic analysis Accelerometers were installed to acquire the vertical ac-
results [3]. The current specifications in Korea do not celeration responses of the slabs during the crossing of
propose the frequency domain necessary for the evalua- the KTX train. The accelerometers were disposed at mid-
tion of the acceleration, which makes it difficult to per- span of the bridges at the center and sides of the cross-
form rational comparison of the accelerations obtained section as well as at the center of the rails. Figures 1 and
by dynamic analysis and measurement. This study con- 2 illustrate the layouts of the accelerometers in Gomo
ducted field monitoring and moving load analysis to viaduct and Seongdong viaduct, respectively. The sam-
gather the acceleration responses of high-speed railway pling rate of the accelerometers is 250 Hz. Monitoring
bridges and compare the measured signals and analysis was done during one day and the trains operated during
results with respect to the eventual consideration of the that period are listed in Tables 3 and 4. For Gomo via-
duct, 48 trains were measured with speeds ranging be-
frequency domain.
tween 107 and 130 km/h and, for Seongdong viaduct, 47
trains with speeds ranging between 160 and 185 km/h.
2. Acquisition of Acceleration Response
2.1. Selected Bridges 2.3. Dynamic Analysis
Field monitoring and moving load dynamic analysis were Moving load dynamic analysis was performed to obtain
performed on selected bridges under operation in Korea the dynamic responses of the selected bridges crossed by
to compare the measured accelerations and dynamic ana- the KTX train. Three-dimensional modeling of the
lysis results according to the crossing of the high-speed bridges considering the bridge-track-train interaction and
train. The bridges were selected considering the type of including the track structure was achieved for accurate
their track. Table 1 arranges the characteristics of Gomo analysis. In the model of Gomo PC beam viaduct of
viaduct, a PSC beam bridge with gravel ballast. Table 2 Figure 3(a), the deck is modeled by means of 4-node
arranges the features of Seongdong viaduct, a PSC box shell elements and the girder and cross beams by beam
bridge applying concrete ballast. elements. Beam-type constraints are applied for the con-

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758 H. YOON ET AL.

Table 3. Trains monitored on Gomo viaduct.

Index Direction* Speed [km/hr] Index Direction* Speed [km/hr]

A20110819-052509 U 123.47 A20110819-111649 D 116.02
A20110819-054424 U 125.46 A20110819-120122 D 107.18
A20110819-064459 U 112.63 A20110819-122633 D 122.46
A20110819-071503 U 127.25 A20110819-124413 U 126.81
A20110819-072435 D 130.75 A20110819-130345 D 129.37
A20110819-074447 U 125.77 A20110819-131358 U 127.04
A20110819-075854 D 127.02 A20110819-134451 U 126.36
A20110819-081433 U 124.14 A20110819-135706 U 126.73
A20110819-082446 D 126.00 A20110819-135950 D 121.41
A20110819-084423 U 123.86 A20110819-144559 U 122.33
A20110819-085628 D 127.92 A20110819-145304 D 125.28
A20110819-091215 D 123.22 A20110819-151534 U 122.90
A20110819-091617 U 126.39 A20110819-152911 D 126.99
A20110819-092144 D 124.72 A20110819-155806 D 121.68
A20110819-094340 U 124.97 A20110819-161556 U 122.11
A20110819-095801 D 123.17 A20110819-162233 D 127.33
A20110819-100844 U 125.92 A20110819-163047 U 118.97
A20110819-102854 U 125.33 A20110819-164217 D 125.79
A20110819-103039 D 122.21 A20110819-164441 U 126.16
A20110819-104120 D 121.20 A20110819-171550 U 125.15
A20110819-104317 U 127.57 A20110819-172539 D 124.59
A20110819-105346 U 127.18 A20110819-174556 U 124.32
A20110819-110224 D 128.75 A20110819-175521 D 128.13
A20110819-110902 U 127.10 A20110819-181436 U 126.36
*
U: Up train; D: Down train.

Center of cross-section: A5/A6, Side of cross-section:

Center of cross-section: A5, Side of cross-section: A1/A9, A1/A10, Center of rail: A3/A4/A8/A9
Center of rail: A3/A4/A7/A8
(a)
(a)

(b) (b)

Figure 1. Acceleration measurement in Gomo viaduct. (a) Figure 2. Acceleration measurement in Seongdong viaduct.
Layout of accelerometers; (b) View of installed accelerome- (a) Layout of accelerometers; (b) View of installed accele-
ters. rometers.

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 H. YOON ET AL. 759

Table 4. Trains monitored on Seongdong viaduct.

Index Direction* Speed [km/hr] Index Direction* Speed [km/hr]

A20110825-052451 U 161.31 A20110825-122759 D 171.69
A20110825-054133 U 173.20 A20110825-124155 U 168.86
A20110825-061135 U 167.29 A20110825-125124 D 172.71
A20110825-061355 D 160.17 A20110825-125826 D 176.73
A20110825-064252 U 166.34 A20110825-131307 U 169.88
A20110825-071231 U 163.50 A20110825-134336 U 171.55
A20110825-072622 D 182.19 A20110825-140205 D 177.86
A20110825-074248 U 164.03 A20110825-142304 D 182.63
A20110825-080345 D 178.69 A20110825-144218 U 166.34
A20110825-081144 U 166.07 A20110825-145331 D 170.97
A20110825-084318 U 164.78 A20110825-151217 U 167.43
A20110825-090658 D 178.17 A20110825-152759 D 177.76
A20110825-092023 D 179.68 A20110825-154240 U 169.70
A20110825-092723 D 170.26 A20110825-160008 D 170.69
A20110825-094334 U 167.29 A20110825-161159 U 167.20
A20110825-100137 D 184.22 A20110825-162223 D 175.07
A20110825-102652 U 177.40 A20110825-162757 U 167.52
A20110825-103621 D 177.71 A20110825-164158 U 171.98
A20110825-105149 U 165.49 A20110825-170512 D 177.19
A20110825-110422 D 178.90 A20110825-171112 U 166.79
A20110825-111639 D 170.26 A20110825-172538 D 185.55
A20110825-111830 U 172.03 A20110825-174214 U 170.97
A20110825-114124 U 171.88 A20110825-175726 D 182.09

A20110825-120142 D 178.22
*
U: Up train; D: Down train.

nection between the girder and deck considering the tain reliable results from the moving load analysis, the
depth of the girder. Beam-type constraints are also time interval is selected to satisfy the specifications of
adopted for the bridge bearings considering the distance the Railway design Code and Eurocode. The dynamic
to the girder. In the model of Seongdong PSC box girder analysis program developed by the Korea Institute of
viaduct of Figure 3(b), the deck is modeled by means of Construction Technology is used for the analysis.
4-node shell elements and the girder by 8-node solid
elements. The parapet of the deck is represented as by 3. Analysis of Results
masses and its stiffness is neglected.
3.1. Analysis of Fundamental Frequencies
The KTX convoy composed of 20 coaches is modeled
by moving concentrated loads. The speed of the train is The natural frequencies computed by the FFT analysis of
varied by step of 10 km/h up to 420 km/h, corresponding the accelerations obtained by measurement and analysis
to 1.1 times the design speed of the Railway Design were compared to verify the validity of the bridge models.
Code. Moreover, static moving load analysis correspond- Figures 4 and 5 present the vibration modes and natural
ing to the speed of 0 km/h, the resonance and subsidiary frequencies resulting from eigenvalue analysis. The fun-
resonances speeds relative to the first bending mode, damental frequencies of Gomo viaduct and Seongdong
which has critical effect on the responses, and the reso- viaduct are 7.38 Hz and 3.77 Hz, respectively. In addi-
nance and non-resonances speeds relative to the first tor- tion, the analysis of the natural frequencies from the ac-
sional mode are included in the analysis. In order to ob- celeration signals measured at 8 points selected arbitrary

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760 H. YOON ET AL.

Table 5. Measured natural frequencies.

Measurement Gomo viaduct Seongdong viaduct

1 7.813 3.662
2 7.813 3.662
3 7.568 3.662
4 7.568 3.662
5 7.568 3.662
(a) 6 7.568 3.662
7 7.813 3.662
8 7.568 3.662
Average 7.660 3.662

measured at the end of the slab, center of the rail and

center of the cross-section in the direction of the train
among the acceleration signals acquired at various points
in the bridge slab. Figure 6 plots the peak accelerations
(b) per measurement point acquired at sampling rate of 250
Hz. The largest response in Gomo PSC beam viaduct
Figure 3. Bridge models. (a) Gomo viaduct; (b) Seongdong
was measured at the center of the rail whereas the re-
viaduct.
sponses at the side and center of the cross-section have
similar values. For Seongdong viaduct, the PSC box
bridge, the largest response was measured at the center of
the cross-section while the responses at the side of the
cross-section and center of the rail have similar values.
Besides, responses exceeding the limit of 0.35 g for
the acceleration in bridges with gravel ballast track were
(a) (b) observed in Gomo viaduct. Figure 7 plots the time histo-
ries of the acceleration in the cases where the limit value
Figure 4. Eigenvalue analysis results (Gomo viaduct). (a) 1st
mode (7.38 Hz); (b) 2nd mode (9.56 Hz). is exceeded. It can be seen that the vertical acceleration
of the bridge slab exceeds the limit value only once dur-
ing the crossing of the KTX train, which is difficult to be
interpreted as degrading the safety of the bridge. More-
over, no vertical acceleration exceeding the limit values
could be observed when considering only the low fre-
quency domain known to affect practically the bridge.
On the other hand, Figure 8 presents the locations of
(a) (b) the acceleration responses for the comparison of the dy-
Figure 5. Eigenvalue analysis results (Seongdong viaduct). namic analysis results with the measured acceleration
(a) 1st mode (3.77 Hz); (b) 2nd mode (5.34 Hz). signals. These locations are the side and center of the
cross section and the center of the rail in the riding direc-
in each bridge gave values of 7.660 Hz for Gomo viaduct tion of the train. Figure 9 plots the peak acceleration
and 3.662 Hz for Seongdong viaduct (Table 5). The de- responses per riding speed. Here, the frequency domain
viation in the natural frequency estimated from eigen- was selected with respect to the time interval necessary
value analysis and from the measured signals reaches for the analysis.
3.66% for Gomo viaduct and 2.95% for Seongdong via-
duct and demonstrates the validity of the bridge models 3.3. Comparison of Accelerations
of this study.
The current Railway Design Code in Korea does not
consider the frequency domain during the evaluation of
3.2. Acquisition of Peak Acceleration by
the measured acceleration. Besides, even if the Code
Measurement and Dynamic Analysis
specifies to include the modes affecting the responses of
Investigation is conducted for the acceleration signals the bridge during the dynamic analysis by mode super-

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 H. YOON ET AL. 761

0.6
End of the slab Center of the rail
Center of the cross‐section
0.5
Peak Acceleration[g]

0.4

Acceleration Limit
0.3

0.2

0.1

0
Figure 8. Location of acceleration responses.
0 10 20 30 40 50
Number of Measurement
(a)
0.6
End of the slab Center of the rail
Center of the cross‐section
0.5
Peak Acceleration[g]

0.4

Acceleration Limit
0.3

0.2

0.1
(a)
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Number of Measurement
(b)

Figure 6. Peak accelerations. (a) Gomo viaduct; (b) Seong-

dong viaduct.

(b)

Figure 9. Moving load analysis results. (a) Gomo Viaduct;

(b) Seongdong Viaduct.

position, the absence of the consideration of the fre-

(a) quency domain in the time domain dynamic analysis
renders it difficult to achieve rational evaluation of the
acceleration. This means that it is difficult to compare the
measured acceleration responses and those obtained from
dynamic analysis for the same bridge.
Figures 10 and 11 compare the peak accelerations ob-
tained from measurement and by moving load analysis
according to the consideration or not of the frequency
domain. Here, the frequencies are limited below 30 Hz to
account only for the low frequency contents having real
influence on the behavior of the bridges as specified by
(b) the Eurocode. To that goal, low pass filtering was per-
Figure 7. Time histories of acceleration exceeding the limit formed. It can be observed that the size of the accelera-
values (Gomo viaduct). (a) A20110819-085628; (b) A20110 tion response differs significantly according to the even-
819-174456. tual consideration of the frequency domain. Moreover,

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762 H. YOON ET AL.

(a)
(a)

(b)
(b)

(c)

(c) Figure 11. Seongdong viaduct. (a) Loaded end (E); (b)
Loaded point (L); (c) Center of cross-section (C).
Figure 10. Gomo viaduct. (a) Loaded end (E); (b) Loaded
point (L); (c) Center of cross-section (C). 4. Conclusion
the variation of the measured acceleration according to The current Railway Design Code in Korea provides
the eventual consideration of the frequency domain ap- limitations only on the peak acceleration without consi-
pears to be larger than that of the analytic acceleration. dering the frequency domain for the evaluation of the ac-
This indicates that the frequency domain shall be consi- celeration performed to secure the dynamic safety of the
dered to evaluate the measured acceleration. railway bridge. Such approach is an important factor de-
In addition, the agreement between the measured ac- grading the reliability of the evaluation of high-speed
celeration and the results of the moving load analysis is railway bridges and is also inducing disagreement be-
examined when the frequency domain is limited below tween the results of the dynamic analysis and the meas-
30 Hz. It appears that the measured and analytic accel- ured accelerations. This study conducted field monitoring
erations exhibit considerable difference when the fre- and moving load analysis on 2 high-speed railway bri-
quency domain is not considered. However, the low pass dges operating in Korea to acquire their acceleration re-
filtering below 30 Hz results in good agreement between sponses. Accelerometers were installed in the center and
both acceleration responses. sides of the cross-section and center of the rails at mid-

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 H. YOON ET AL. 763

span of the bridges and the acceleration signals were Research Project (The Development of Design Core
gathered at sampling rate of 250 Hz. Three-dimensional Technology on the Girder and Tethering System for
bridge models considering the bridge-track-train interac- Submerged Floating Bridge Construction) funded by the
tion and reflecting the track structure model were estab- Korea Institute of Construction Technology and from
lished to conduct accurate moving load analysis. The Research Project (Research for the Improvement of
validity of the bridge models was verified through com- Global Competitiveness in Railway Construction) funded
parison of the natural frequencies obtained by FFT analy- by Korea Rail Network Authority.
sis of the measured accelerations and the dynamic analy-
sis accelerations. Since the acceleration response in-
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This research was supported by a grant from a Strategic

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