Study on the cause and treatment of rail corrugation for Beijing metro

•A special rail corrugation found in Beijing metro was studied.•Field observations and measurements were the main research methods.•Train/track interaction at dominant frequencies was the cause of this corrugation.•A treatment test section fully proved the findings of this paper.

This paper presents the results of a study concerning a special type of rail corrugation occurring on Beijing metro. Field observations, investigations and measurement results show that the dynamic behavior of the train–track interaction is responsible for corrugations. When the train speed is more than 60 km/h, as is the case for Beijing metro, the train/track dynamic interactions at the dominant frequencies are recognized to be the cause for corrugation. The natural frequencies of the Egg system track structure were identified by the hammer test, which correlated well with the dynamic response frequency spectrum of the rail when the metro trains pass by. In order to verify the investigative results and provide a method to reduce rail corrugation, a test section was installed at a typical corrugated curve by avoiding the dominant frequencies of the track structure. When monitoring rail roughness, results show the method used is an effective way to control the development of the wavelength-fixed corrugation in the case of Beijing metro.