PHD at Kyushu University, Japan
Dr. Akira Aikawa, based in Tokyo, Japan, is a distinguished researcher specializing in Railway Track Dynamics and Granular Mechanics. He earned his PhD from Kyushu University, where he later served as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Aikawa continued his academic career as an Associate Professor at the Institute of National Colleges of Technology before joining the Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI) in 2006. He has contributed significantly to the field through his work on the natural vibration characteristics and settlement behavior of railway ballasted tracks. Dr. Aikawa is also a Fellow Member of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers and has served as a Road Disaster Prevention Doctor for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.
Professional Profiles
Education
PhD: Kyushu University, Japan Special field of study: Railway Track Dynamics, Granular Mechanics, In-situ Measurement.
Current Employer
Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI), JAPAN. 1987-1993: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Japan 1993-2006: Associate Professor, Institute of National Colleges of Technology, Japan 2006-2024: Present Position (RTRI)
Research Focus
Dr. Akira Aikawa’s research focuses on the dynamic behavior of railway tracks and vehicle-track interactions, particularly in response to defects and settlement. His work explores the impact of short rail defects over long-wavelength track settlement, dynamic rolling contact, and the effectiveness of rail pads and fastenings. Utilizing advanced modeling techniques such as discrete element modeling coupled with finite element methods, he investigates the mechanics of ballasted railway tracks under various conditions. His contributions aim to enhance the design and performance-based testing criteria for railway track components, addressing issues like vibration attenuation and dynamic settlement at transition zones, ensuring safer and more efficient railway operations.
Publications
- Research on Vertical Natural Vibration Characteristics of Gravel Aggregate in Ballasted Track, Publication date: 2015.
- Dynamic characterisation of a ballast layer subject to traffic impact loads using three-dimensional sensing stones and a special sensing sleeper, Publication date: 2015.
- Effectiveness of Soft Baseplates and Fastenings to Mitigate Track Dynamic Settlement at Transition Zones on Railway Bridge Approaches, Publication date: 2016.
- Vibration Attenuation at Rail Joints through under Sleeper Pads☆, Publication date: 2017.
- Development of Viscoelastic Multi-Body Simulation and Impact Response Analysis of a Ballasted Railway Track under Cyclic Loading, Publication date: 2017.
- Sensitivity of rail pads on dynamic responses of spot replacement sleepers interspersed in ballasted railway tracks, Publication date: 2018.
- Finite element analysis of the wheel–rail impact behavior induced by a wheel flat for high-speed trains: The influence of strain rate, Publication date: 2017.
- Novel discrete element modeling coupled with finite element method for investigating ballasted railway track dynamics, Publication date: 2018.
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