Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of the Train Speed on the Long Term Performance of the Subgrade of the Ballasted and Ballastless Tracks

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Computational and Experimental Simulations in Engineering (ICCES 2022)

Part of the book series: Mechanisms and Machine Science ((Mechan. Machine Science,volume 119))

  • 375 Accesses

Abstract

The long term performance of the railway tracks is a relevant topic and a major concern of the railway Infrastructure Managers due to the technical and economical aspects related to the degradation of the track. Thus, there are several factors that have a significant influence on the short and long term performance of the ballasted and ballastless tracks. One of these factors is the train speed (which also includes the critical speed) since the stresses and strains are significantly amplified. This work tries to compare the short but mostly the long term performance of the ballasted and the ballastless track (Rheda system) and also an optimised version of the Rheda system, where the support layers (HBL and FPL) are omitted. This comparison includes the influence of the train speed (and critical speed) and it is based on the stress levels and cumulative permanent deformation induced by the passage of the train. The results were obtained using a hybrid methodology between the 2.5D FEM-PML (to model the short term behaviour) and the implementation of an empirical permanent deformation model (to analyse the long term performance).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Selig, E.T., Waters, J.M.: Track Geotechnology and Substructure Management. Thomas Telford Services Ltd., London (1994)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. Nielsen, J.C.O., Li, X.: Railway track geometry degradation due to differential settlement of ballast/subgrade—numerical prediction by an iterative procedure. J. Sound Vib. 412, 441–456 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Li, D., Selig, E.T.: Cumulative plastic deformation for fine-grained subgrade soils. J. Geotech. Geoenvironmental Eng. 122(12), 1006–1013 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Puppala, A.J., Mohammad, L.N., Allen, A.: Permanent deformation characterization of subgrade soils from RLT test. J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 11(4), 274–282 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Correia, A.G., Biarez, J.: Stiffness properties of materials to use in pavement and rail track design. In: Geotechnical Engineering for Transportation Infrastructure. Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Amsterdam, Netherlands (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Rahim, A.M., George, K.P.: Models to estimate subgrade resilient modulus for pavement design. Int. J. Pavement Eng. 6(2), 89–96 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Gomes Correia, A.: Innovations in design and construction of granular pavements and railways. In: Advances in Transportation Geotechnics—Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics. CRC Press, Taylors & Francis Group, Nottingham, UK (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Puppala, A.J., Saride, S., Chomtid, S.: Experimental and modeling studies of permanent strains of subgrade soils. J. Geotech. Geoenvironmental Eng. 135(10), 1379–1389 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Ng, C.W.W., et al.: Resilient modulus of unsaturated subgrade soil: experimental and theoretical investigations. Can. Geotech. J. 50(2), 223–232 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Gomes Correia, A., Cunha, J.: Analysis of nonlinear soil modelling in the subgrade and rail track responses under HST. Transp. Geotech. 1(4), 147–156 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Salour, F., Erlingsson, S.: Permanent deformation characteristics of silty sand subgrades from multistage RLT tests. Int. J. Pavement Eng. 18(3), 236–246 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ling, X., et al.: Permanent deformation characteristics of coarse grained subgrade soils under train-induced repeated load. Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2017, 15 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Rahman, M.M., Gassman, S.L.: Permanent deformation characteristics of coarse grained subgrade soils using repeated load triaxial tests. In: Meehan, C.L., et al. (eds.) Geo-Congress 2019, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pp. 599–609

    Google Scholar 

  14. Alves Costa, P., et al.: Critical speed of railway tracks. Detailed and simplified approaches. Transp. Geotech. 2, 30–46 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Mezher, S.B., et al.: Railway critical velocity—analytical prediction and analysis. Transp. Geotech. 6, 84–96 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Tang, Y., Xiao, S., Yang, Q.: Numerical study of dynamic stress developed in the high speed rail foundation under train loads. Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng. 123, 36–47 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hu, J., et al.: Investigation into the critical speed of ballastless track. Transp. Geotech. 18, 142–148 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Alves Costa, P., et al.: Influence of soil non-linearity on the dynamic response of high-speed railway tracks. Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng. 30(4), 221–235 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yang, Y., Hung, H.: A 2.5D finite/infinite element approach for modelling visco-elastic body subjected to moving loads. Int. J. Numer. Methods Eng. 51(11), 1317–1336 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sheng, X., Jones, C.J.C., Thompson, D.J.: Prediction of ground vibration from trains using the wavenumber finite and boundary element methods. J. Sound Vib. 293(3–5), 575–586 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Lopes, P., et al.: Numerical modeling of vibrations induced by railway traffic in tunnels: from the source to the nearby buildings. Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng. 61–62, 269–285 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Alves Costa, P., Calçada, R., Silva Cardoso, A.: Track–ground vibrations induced by railway traffic: in-situ measurements and validation of a 2.5D FEM-BEM model. Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng. 32(1), 111–128 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Gidel, G., et al.: A new approach for investigating the permanent deformation behaviour of unbound granular material using the repeated load triaxial apparatus. Bulletin des Laboratoires des Pont et Chaussées 233, 5–21 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Chen, R., et al.: Cumulative settlement of track subgrade in high-speed railway under varying water levels. Int. J. Rail Transp. 2(4), 205–220 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Korkiala-Tanttu, L.: A new material model for permanent deformations in pavements. In: Proceedings of the Seventh Conference on Bearing Capacity of Roads and Airfields. Trondheim, Norway (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Rahman, M.S., Erlingsson, S.: A model for predicting permanent deformation of unbound granular materials. Road Mater. Pavement Des. 16(3), 653–673 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Ramos, A., et al.: Stress and permanent deformation amplification factors in subgrade induced by dynamic mechanisms in track structures. Int. J. Rail Transp. 1–33 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Alves Costa, P., Calçada, R., Silva Cardoso, A.: Influence of train dynamic modelling strategy on the prediction of track-ground vibrations induced by railway traffic. In: Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part F J. Rail Rapid Transit 226(4), 434–450 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Colaço, A., Costa, P.A., Connolly, D.P.: The influence of train properties on railway ground vibrations. Struct. Infrastruct. Eng. 12(5), 517–534 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Ramos, A.L., et al.: Influence of permanent deformations of substructure on ballasted and ballastless tracks performance. In: Proceedings of 7th Transport Research Arena TRA 2018, 16–19 Apr 2018. Zenodo, Vienna, Austria

    Google Scholar 

  31. EN13848-5: Railway applications—track—track geometry quality—part 5: geometric quality levels. In EN13848. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels, Belgium (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Alves Costa, P., et al.: Railway critical speed assessment: a simple experimental-analytical approach. Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng. 134 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Sayeed, M.A., Shahin, M.A.: Investigation into impact of train speed for behavior of ballasted railway track foundations. In: Advances in Transportation Geotechnics 3. The 3rd International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics (ICTG 2016). Guimarães, Portugal (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Madshus, C., Kaynia, A.M.: High-speed railway lines on soft ground: dynamic behaviour at critical train speed. J. Sound Vib. 231(3), 689–701 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, ISISE, Guimarães, Portugal

    Ana Ramos & António Gomes Correia

  2. CONSTRUCT – LESE, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Rui Calçada

Authors
  1. Ana Ramos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. António Gomes Correia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rui Calçada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Ramos .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Astronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China

    Honghua Dai

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Ramos, A., Correia, A.G., Calçada, R. (2023). Influence of the Train Speed on the Long Term Performance of the Subgrade of the Ballasted and Ballastless Tracks. In: Dai, H. (eds) Computational and Experimental Simulations in Engineering. ICCES 2022. Mechanisms and Machine Science, vol 119. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02097-1_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02097-1_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-02096-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-02097-1

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation