Woodward, PK, Kennedy, J, Laghrouche, O et al. (2 more authors) (2014) Study of railway track stiffness modification by polyurethane reinforcement of the ballast. Transportation Geotechnics, 1 (4). pp. 214-224. ISSN 2214-3912
Abstract
This paper presents the measured results of full-scale testing of railway track under laboratory conditions to examine the effect on the track stiffness when the ballast is reinforced using a urethane cross-linked polymer (polyurethane). The tests are performed in the GRAFT I (Geopavement and Railways Accelerated Fatigue Testing) facility and show that the track stiffness can be significantly enhanced by application of the polymer. The track stiffness is measured at various stages during cyclic loading and compared to the formation stiffness, which is determined prior to testing using plate load tests. The results indicate that the track stiffness increased by approximately 40–50% based on the measured results and from the previously published GRAFT I settlement model. The track stiffness was monitored during loading for a maximum of 500,000 load cycles. The paper concludes by presenting and commenting on, the application of the technique to a real site where the Falling Weight Deflectometer was used before and after polymer treatment to determine the dynamic sleeper support stiffness. The very challenging site conditions are highlighted, in particular the water logged nature of the site, and comment made on the effect of the water on polymer installation. The results of the FWD measurements indicate that a good increase in overall track stiffness was measured. These results are consistent with the laboratory tests which are performed on a different soil and use a different measurement technique and hence confirm that regardless of the soil and measurement system track stiffness increases are observed using this technique.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an author produced version of a journal article published in Transport Geotechnics. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0. |
Keywords: | Railway track stiffness; Polymers; GeoComposite; Polyurethane reinforcement; XiTRACK |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Civil Engineering (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 21 Feb 2018 13:36 |
Last Modified: | 13 Oct 2020 15:53 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.trgeo.2014.06.005 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:126605 |