Rehabilitation Design of Railway Tracks Using High-Strength Polymeric Geocell
Publication: Geo-Congress 2024
ABSTRACT
With the evolution of railway embankment design, the focus has been on the improvement of the strength and optimizing the thickness of the track bed to restrict stresses transferred to the subgrade from a train-induced dynamic load, within acceptable limits. Conventional practice is to design an appropriate thickness with the right choice of ballast and sub-ballast thickness with subgrade preparation. However, addressing issues with long-term operations is another facet that is yet to be standardized. With the advent of geocell, the spectrum of cost-effective long-term solutions has widened. This paper introduces a strategic design methodology for rehabilitation design to address operational issues, arising from loss of confinement, settlement, and embankment degradation, using high strength, modulus, and creep resistant polymeric alloy geocell. This methodology is supported by design execution and year-round observation indicating that this will be a promising cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for the future.
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Published online: Feb 22, 2024
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