ABSTRACT
The following calculations are intended to be used entirely as means of comparing different mathematical models of track and of vehicle/track interaction for vertical excitation only. Although benchmarking exercices for lateral or longitudinal excitation may be suggested in due course, the principal interest to date in the use of such models has been for vertical excitation. Practical problems for which models of vertical excitation are likely to be used include noise; corrugation; damage to sleepers, ballast and railpads; and fatigue of the rail in flexure. The benchmark tests do not address these problems specifically, but the tests nevertheless address those quantities which must be calculated in order to examine such problems. The simplest possible tests have been selected which are consistent with the desire to test the models. If a model differs significantly in these relatively simple calculations, there is no reason to believe that it could sensibly be used to calculate more complicated behaviour.
