Critical Velocity and Instability of Inertial Objects Moving Uniformly on Layered Track Models

Abstract

In this contribution, a new form of semianalytical results related to inertial objects that are traversing homogeneous infinite structures, introduced in previous author's work, is used to analyze one-, twoand three-layer models of the railway track. The aim of these analyses is determination of the critical velocity of a moving force and of the onset of instability of moving masses or oscillators. As one of the most important conclusions, it will be shown that in the case of two moving proximate masses, damping can act in the opposite direction than expected and owing to the dynamic interaction, the onset of instability can be shifted deeply into the subcritical velocity range.

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