A Full-Scale Laboratory Investigation Into Railway Track Substructure Performance and Ballast Reinforcement
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A FULL-SCALE LABORATORY INVESTIGATION INTO RAILWAY TRACK SUBSTRUCTURE PERFORMANCE AND BALLAST REINFORCEMENT By Justin Kennedy Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Heriot-Watt University School of the Built Environment January 2011 The copyright in this thesis is owned by the author. Any quotation from the thesis or use of any of the information contained in it must acknowledge this thesis as the source of the quotation or information. Abstract To reduce railway track maintenance costs and meet the growing demand for rail travel the railway industry needs to significantly increase the performance of old existing tracks and design any new tracks accordingly. In this thesis, a new full-scale laboratory Geopavement & Railway Accelerated Fatigue Testing (GRAFT) facility at Heriot-Watt University is developed to study the performance of both unreinforced and reinforced railway track substructure systems. The new GRAFT facility enables accelerated testing of full-scale railway tracks and innovative railway products under realistic railway loading conditions. The unreinforced track systems represent typical railway tracks in the UK while the reinforced track systems represent sections of track implemented with various geosynthetic products. GRAFT consists of a track constructed within a steel tank. The track comprises a 750mm clay subgrade layer overlain by a clay formation layer overlain by a 300mm ballast layer. The track includes three hardwood sleeper sections overlain by an I-section steel beam which has similar stiffness properties to a BS 113 A rail section. Cyclic loading is applied to the track from a hydraulic testing machine with the centre sleeper directly under the loading actuator. The loading mechanism replicates a repeated quasi static single wheel load on the central sleeper of one half of a 3m long section of railway track. Based on the results found from the testing programme in GRAFT empirical relationships are developed between the unreinforced track performance in terms of track settlement and stiffness and the subgrade modulus, applied load and number of applied cycles. These relationships fit the GRAFT data presented in this thesis well and it is thought that they could be used (tentatively) to estimate track settlement on track after tamping/ballast renewal/new track. These relationships are shown to be consistent with other well known track settlement models and they indicate that subgrade stiffness and applied vertical load are two of the most significant parameters that influence track substructure deterioration. The results found from the reinforced track tests quantify the improvement in track performance available with each product under various track conditions. Two ballast i reinforcement products have been tested; XiTRACK reinforcement and geocell reinforcement, along with a reinforced geocomposite used primarily for separation at the ballast/subgrade interface. In addition, a geocomposite product designed to replace a traditional sand blanket, used on the tracks where severe subgrade erosion conditions prevail, has been tested in GRAFT under flooding conditions. The most significant results show that XiTRACK reinforcement can considerably improve the performance of railway tracks while the performance of the track implemented with the sand blanket replacement product indicates that currently a traditional sand blanket with a geotextile separator is the recommended option for tracks with subgrade wet spots. From all the data recorded empirical settlement models are proposed for each of the geosynthetics compared for reinforcement purposes. These models form the basis for reinforced track design graphs that could potentially be used to form part of an initial cost-benefit analysis of different track reinforcement techniques considered for improving track performance and reducing maintenance. In order to use the track settlement design graphs developed within this thesis (in the field) a reliable measure of subgrade stiffness needs to be made on track. A reliable in- situ measuring device could enhance railway site investigations. Several in-situ measuring devices that could potentially be used to measures subgrade stiffness and strength in the field have been tested within GRAFT. The devices studied include the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP), Light Falling Weight Deflectometer (LFWD), Pocket Penetrometer and Proving Ring Penetrometer. The accuracy of these devices is compared to Plate Load Tests (PLT) and unconfined compression strength tests and suggestions towards the use of such devices on track made. The results indicate that the DCP has the potential to be a quick and accurate in-situ measuring device for railway track site investigations. The GRAFT facility and the results found in GRAFT have been validated using a basic static 3D FE computer model termed SART3D (Static Analysis of Railway Track 3D). The program has been calibrated to GRAFT by modifying the FE mesh for the dimensions of GRAFT and inputting the GRAFT track properties. The validated results from this thesis have direct practical implications to the railway industry in terms of ii design recommendations on how best to investigate and improve key geotechnical parameters that influence railway track performance and hence reduce maintenance costs and extend asset life. A review of current design procedures used in the railway industry is given and a new design procedure is suggested to reduce track maintenance and offer an optimised design and maintenance strategy. iii Acknowledgements I would like to give my sincere thanks to my PhD supervisor, Dr. Peter Woodward, for his continuous advice, guidance and encouragement throughout this research project; his constant enthusiasm and support has helped overcome all the research challenges encountered. I would also like to thank Dr. Gabriela Medero, my second supervisor, for her advice and support with aspects of the experimental testing. The help from the laboratory technicians with the experimental programme was also much appreciated. Special thanks are due to my friend and colleague Meysam Banimahd who read and gave expert comments on this thesis. In addition, thanks are due to all my colleagues at Heriot-Watt University for their help and support, especially Nawras Hamdan. My greatest gratitude goes to my family and my beloved fiancée Gabriella for their continuous love, belief, encouragement and support throughout this period of my life. Without them this research would not have been possible. This research was funded by EPSRC and funding was provided by the School of the Built Environment at Heriot-Watt University for developing the research facilities. iv ACADEMIC REGISTRY Research Thesis Submission Name: Justin Kennedy School/PGI: School of the Built Environment Version: (i.e. First, Final Degree Sought (Award PhD Civil Engineering Resubmission, Final) and Subject area) Declaration In accordance with the appropriate regulations I hereby submit my thesis and I declare that: 1) the thesis embodies the results of my own work and has been composed by myself 2) where appropriate, I have made acknowledgement of the work of others and have made reference to work carried out in collaboration with other persons 3) the thesis is the correct version of the thesis for submission and is the same version as any electronic versions submitted*. 4) my thesis for the award referred to, deposited in the Heriot-Watt University Library, should be made available for loan or photocopying and be available via the Institutional Repository, subject to such conditions as the Librarian may require 5) I understand that as a student of the University I am required to abide by the Regulations of the University and to conform to its discipline. * Please note that it is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that the correct version of the thesis is submitted. Signature of Date: Candidate: Submission Submitted By (name in capitals): Signature of Individual Submitting: Date Submitted: For Completion in Academic Registry Received in the Academic Registry by (name in capitals): Method of Submission (Handed in to Academic Registry; posted through internal/external mail): E-thesis Submitted (mandatory for final theses from January 2009) Signature: Date: v Table of Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 General Considerations ...................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Objectives ........................................................................................... 2 1.3 Thesis Outline ..................................................................................................... 4 2. Railway track behaviour ........................................................................................... 7 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Track structure .................................................................................................... 7 2.3 Track Loading .................................................................................................. 10 2.4 Track performance............................................................................................ 12 2.5 Track performance improvement ..................................................................... 16 2.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................