In this paper, a two-dimensional numerical model is developed to investigate the effect of rail pad stiffness on the wheel/rail force in a slab track with harmonic irregularity. The model consists of a vehicle, nonlinear Hertz spring, rail, rail pad, concrete slab, resilient layer, concrete base, and subgrade. The rail is simulated using the Timoshenko beam element for considering the effects of high-frequency excitation produced by short-wave irregularity. The results obtained from the model are compared with those available in the literature and from the field to prove the validity of the model. Through a parametric study, the effect of variations in rail pad stiffness, vehicle speed, and harmonic irregularity on the wheel/rail force is investigated. For the slab track without any irregularity, the wheel/rail force is at maximum when the vehicle speed reaches the critical speed. As the rail pad stiffness increases, the critical speed increases. When the amplitude of irregularity is high, wheel jumping phenomenon may occur. In this situation, as the vehicle speed and rail pad stiffness are increased, the dynamic wheel/rail force is increased. In the low-frequency range, the wheel/rail force increases as the rail pad stiffness increases. In the high-frequency range, the wheel/rail force increases as the rail pad stiffness is decreased.
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