Validation of a finite element model for axle box acceleration at squats in the high frequency range

• FE model developed for simulation of axle box acceleration (ABA) at squats.
• Validation with real ABA measurements in the frequency range up to 2 kHz.
• The developed FE model is suitable to study relationship between squats and ABA.

Squats are associated with high frequency vibrations of the wheel–rail system and can be registered using axle box acceleration (ABA) measurements. In this paper a three-dimensional finite-element (FE) model is proposed to capture the dynamic features of the ABA related to squats in the high frequency range. The FE model is validated relying on a set of real-life ABA measurements at two characteristic rail surface defects (light and severe squats), located in a section of the railway network in Assen. The Netherlands. The FE model managed to properly capture the dynamic features in the range of frequencies up to 2000 Hz.