The second Regular Technical Meeting took place in Berlin on September 23 and 24. More than 20 representatives from several partner entities attended the assembly at the BAM headquarters. After one year of the project start, Work Package leaders presented the current state of work and received input from project members and advisory associates.

After the initial words from the project coordinator Pedro Montenegro (UPORTO) and meeting host Matthias Baeßler (BAM), José Goicolea (UPM), Yann Bezin (HUD) and Pedro Museros (UPV) presented the progress on Work Package 1. This included a new passenger and freight rolling stock database and improved methods to assess dynamic bridge response.

On Work Package 2, Maria Dolores Martinez-Rodrigo (UJI) introduced the database of railway bridges compiled during the last year, reflecting hundreds of structures from Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and Sweden. Attendees discussed technical matters on bridge modelling that are useful for upcoming dynamic analyses.

Andreas Andersson (KTH) followed with Work Package 3 and the revision of dynamic factors. A lengthy exchange of ideas followed, with participants giving feedback on their experience with rail irregularities. The first day of the meeting concluded with a visit to the BAM laboratories and a demonstration of the ballast-shaking test rig.

On Tuesday morning, Pedro Montenegro (UPORTO) and Etienne Laligant (AVLS) presented the damping estimation techniques from Work Package 4, after which the project partners shared ideas about normative revision recommendations. Lastly, Matthias Baeßler (BAM), Andreas Andersson (KTH), Can Shi (KTH) and Gonçalo Ferreira (UPORTO) gave an update on WP5. Both experimental and numerical testing are being done to better understand the acceleration limit.

In six months, the group will convene again for the third Regular Technical Meeting (remote). UPM will host the next in-person meeting in Madrid in September 2025.

Images by InBridge4EU and BAM.