Modeling the Stress-Displacement Response and Crack Behavior of a Bi-Block Ballast-Less Track under Temperature and Shrinkage Loading

Both temperature and shrinkage loading influence the long-term performance of bi-block ballast-less tracks. In this paper, an interactive finite element method was utilized to model the stress-displacement response and crack behavior of bi-block ballast-less track that is resting on subgrade foundation and subjected to temperature and shrinkage loading. The influence of various factors such as the slab reinforcement type, the slab thickness, the slab-reinforcement ratio, and the slab crack interval were also studied. In general, the results indicated that the slab-reinforcement ratio and the slab crack interval spacing had a significant influence on the slab remaining strength, concrete tensile stress, steel tensile stress, and slab crack width. All these factors need to be well accounted for during design. By contrast however, the slab thickness parameter exhibited negligible influence and can, therefore, be ignored during design.