Use of shock mats for enhanced stability of railroad track foundation

Indraratna, B; Navaratnarajah, SK; Nimbalkar, S; Rujikiatkamjorn, C

Use of shock mats for enhanced stability of railroad track foundation

Indraratna, B Navaratnarajah, SK Nimbalkar, S

Rujikiatkamjorn, C

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Australian Geomechanics Journal, 2014, 49 (4), pp. 101 - 111
Issue Date:: 2014-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Indraratna, B	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Navaratnarajah, SK	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Nimbalkar, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1538-3396	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Rujikiatkamjorn, C	en_US
dc.date.issued	2014-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Australian Geomechanics Journal, 2014, 49 (4), pp. 101 - 111	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0818-9110	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/118620
dc.description.abstract	Increasing demand for High Speed Rail (HSR) and fast heavy haul poses a serious challenge for stability of tracks on problematic ground. Ballast is a key track foundation material placed underneath the sleepers which provides structural support against high cyclic and impact stresses caused by moving trains. Degradation of ballast contributes to a large percentage of track maintenance costs apart from affecting longevity and stability. In recent years, use of elastometric soft pads underneath sleepers has become increasingly popular as means of reducing track damage. The 'shock mat' placed under the sleeper is traditionally called Under Sleeper Pad (USP), and when it is placed under ballast, the term Under Ballast Mat (UBM) is often used. Currently there is lack of comprehensive assessment on the geotechnical behaviour of ballast using these artificial inclusions under impact and cyclic loading. In this study, a series of largescale laboratory tests were conducted to understand the performance of these energy absorbing 'shock mats' in the attenuation of impact and cyclic stresses and subsequent mitigation of ballast degradation. Impact loads were simulated using a high-capacity drop-weight impact testing equipment, while the cyclic loads were simulated using a large-scale prismoidal process simulation test apparatus. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of laboratory studies and field trials demonstrating the benefits of USPs and UBMs in rail industry.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Australian Geomechanics Journal	en_US
dc.title	Use of shock mats for enhanced stability of railroad track foundation	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	49	en_US
utslib.for	0905 Civil Engineering	en_US
utslib.for	0914 Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CBI - Centre for Built Infrastructure
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	49	en_US

Abstract:

Increasing demand for High Speed Rail (HSR) and fast heavy haul poses a serious challenge for stability of tracks on problematic ground. Ballast is a key track foundation material placed underneath the sleepers which provides structural support against high cyclic and impact stresses caused by moving trains. Degradation of ballast contributes to a large percentage of track maintenance costs apart from affecting longevity and stability. In recent years, use of elastometric soft pads underneath sleepers has become increasingly popular as means of reducing track damage. The 'shock mat' placed under the sleeper is traditionally called Under Sleeper Pad (USP), and when it is placed under ballast, the term Under Ballast Mat (UBM) is often used. Currently there is lack of comprehensive assessment on the geotechnical behaviour of ballast using these artificial inclusions under impact and cyclic loading. In this study, a series of largescale laboratory tests were conducted to understand the performance of these energy absorbing 'shock mats' in the attenuation of impact and cyclic stresses and subsequent mitigation of ballast degradation. Impact loads were simulated using a high-capacity drop-weight impact testing equipment, while the cyclic loads were simulated using a large-scale prismoidal process simulation test apparatus. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of laboratory studies and field trials demonstrating the benefits of USPs and UBMs in rail industry.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/118620