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Title:

Development of a Laboratory Test Method for Measuring Trackbed Pressures at the Tie/Ballast Interface

Accession Number:

01663281

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

This paper documents the development of a laboratory method for calibrating pressure cells and quantifying typical railway trackbed pressures at the tie/ballast interface under simulated trackbed conditions. Vertical pressures were applied by a hydraulic compression test machine to prototype sections of the trackbed consisting of a section of rail placed on a tie plate and a section of a wood tie, supported by specially designed frames/boxes containing the ballast and subballast. The granular material pressure cells were recessed within the bottom of the ties, thus suitably positioned and protected for subsequent in-track measurements. Loading magnitudes, applied by the testing machine, and resulting vertical interfacial pressures were similar to those exerted by locomotives and loaded freight cars traveling at typical freight train speeds. Particular attention was given to evaluating the effects of various procedures for positioning the cells within the interface and attaching the cells to the ties. Additional attention was given to optimizing the design of the ballast and subballast containment frames and testing procedures so that the stress dissipation would simulate in-track loadings typically produced by freight trains. The effects of various alternate procedures were evaluated. The selected procedure provides excellent correlation between the controlled applied machine pressures and the simultaneously measured cell pressures. The selected granular material pressure cell is considered applicable for in-track tie/ballast pressure measurements using the techniques developed in this study

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AR050 Standing Committee on Railroad Track Structure System Design.

Report/Paper Numbers:

18-00592

Language:

English

Authors:

Rose, Jerry G
Clarke, David B
Liu, Qingjie
Watts, Travis J

Pagination:

12p

Publication Date:

2018

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; Photos; References; Tables

Uncontrolled Terms:

Railroad track beds

Subject Areas:

Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2018 Paper #18-00592

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Jan 8 2018 10:09AM