Field Assessment of the Performance of a Ballasted Rail Track with and without Geosynthetics
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 7
Abstract
Understanding the complex mechanisms of stress transfer and strain accumulation in layers of track substructure under repeated wheel loading is essential to predict the desirable track maintenance cycle as well as the design of the new track. Various finite element and analytical techniques have been developed in the past to understand the behavior of composite track layers subjected to repeated wheel loads. The mechanical behavior of ballast is influenced by several factors, including the track confining pressure, type of aggregates, and the number of loading cycles. A field trial was conducted on an instrumented track at Bulli, New South Wales, Australia, with the specific aims of studying the benefits of a geocomposite installed at the ballast-capping interface, and to evaluate the performance of moderately graded recycled ballast in comparison to traditionally very uniform fresh ballast. It was found that recycled ballast can be effectively reused if reinforced with a geocomposite. It was also found that geocomposite can effectively reduce vertical and lateral strains of the ballast with obvious implications for improved track stability and reduced maintenance costs.
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Acknowledgments
The writers wish to thank the CRC for Railway Engineering and Technologies (Australia) for its continuous support, and for the support of RailCorp (Sydney) during the field trial. The writers appreciate the in-kind contributions made by Geotechnical Systems Australia Pty Ltd. who provided various instruments and Polyfabrics Australia Pty Ltd who supplied the geosynthetic materials used in this study. The past research conducted by doctoral students, Dr. Daniela Ionescu, Dr. Jonane Lackenby, and Dr. Wadud Salim is also appreciated.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 7 • July 2010
Pages: 907 - 917
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 13, 2009
Accepted: Dec 29, 2009
Published online: Jun 15, 2010
Published in print: Jul 2010
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