Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Lateral Resistance of Single Y-Shaped Steel Sleeper on Ballasted Tracks
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34, Issue 1
Abstract
Lateral track stability is a critical parameter in ballasted railway tracks considering track buckling. The sleeper type has a direct impact on lateral track stability. Due to the Y-shape sleeper tracks’ truss structure, the lateral resistance increased in comparison with the monoblock sleepers, which is an efficient alternative, particularly in sharp curves. In this study, the lateral resistance of Y-shaped steel sleepers is examined using the single tie push test (STPT) as an alternative for the improvement of lateral ballast resistance. Furthermore, the discrete element method (DEM) was used to estimate the contribution of ballast components to the lateral resistance of the single sleeper. In addition, the effect of shoulder ballast width on the lateral resistance was considered in DEM models. DEM simulations confirmed that the higher sufficient lateral resistance (about 14 kN) could be achieved with a shoulder width of 200 mm.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34 • Issue 1 • January 2022
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 21, 2020
Accepted: Jun 7, 2021
Published online: Oct 29, 2021
Published in print: Jan 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Mar 29, 2022
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