Railway Geotechnics

Links Geotechnics with Railway Track Engineering and Railway Operation Good railway track and railway operations depend on good geotechnics, in several different ways and at varying levels. Railway Geotechnics covers track, track substructure, load environment, materials, mechanics, design, construction, measurements, and management. Illustrated by

Design and Construction of Pavements and Rail Tracks - Geotechnical Aspects and Processed Materials is a compilation of selected contributions produced between 2002 and 2005 by the International Committee TC3 - Geotechnics of Pavements of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), a committee dedicated to gat

Design and construction of pavements and railways for high speed trains is moving from merely empirical procedures towards a more mechanistic approach based on a better constructed theoretical basis. This will facilitate the use of new materials in transportation infrastructure under various climatic and traffic (load and speed) conditions. In addition, this will lead to a future challenge to implement a common framework between road, railway and geotechnical engineers. These contributions represent an excellent source of recent developments related to the design and construction of pavements, rail tracks and earth structures with emphasis placed on geotechnical background.

Ballast plays a vital role in transmitting and distributing the train wheel loads to the underlying track substructure. The load-bearing capacity, safe train speed, and the levels of noise and vibration, as well as passenger comfort depend on the behaviour of ballast through particle interlocking and the corresponding deformation of this granular assembly. Attrition and breakage of ballast occur progressively under heavy and continual cyclic loading, causing track deterioration and rail misalignment affecting safety, while exacerbating the intensity of track maintenance. In the absence of realistic computational models, the track substructure is traditionally designed using mostly empirical approaches. In this book, the authors present the detailed information on the strength, deformation, and degradation aspects of fresh and recycled ballast under monotonic, cyclic, and impact loading using innovative geotechnical testing devices. A constitutive model for ballast incorporating particle breakage is presented representing a more realistic stress–strain response. The mathematical formulations and numerical models are validated using controlled experimental simulations and fully instrumented field trials. Revised ballast gradation is described to provide greater track resiliency and extended longevity. The book also provides a detailed description of geosynthetics for substructure improvement considering track deterioration caused by particle degradation, fouling, and impeded drainage. New to this second edition are extensive discussions on subgrade soil stabilisation, causes and mechanisms of soil fluidisation (mud pumping) under cyclic loading, and preventive and remedial measures to alleviate undue instability of ballast tracks. This book should prove most beneficial for final-year civil engineering students and for postgraduate teaching and learning. It is an ideal supplement for practising railway engineers and researchers engaged in the challenging tasks of future track design for heavier and faster trains.

The intent of this work is to present an international overview of advances in geotechnical engineering referring to design and construction of road pavements and rail tracks for high-speed trains. It seeks to influence the international pavement and railway engineering community to move away from merely empirical procedures towards a sophisticated approach based primarily on proven theoretical concepts.;The volume covers compaction technology in construction, properties of geomaterials relevant for design and construction, effects of grain crushing, freezing-thawing problems, and embankments for highways and high-speed trains (in-situ tests, modelling, design, monitoring and specifications). It contains 16 contributions including two special lectures: one about high embankments instead of bridges and bridge foundations in embankments, and a second one about impacts on geotechnical engineering from findings of laboratory stress-strain tests on geomaterials.

In this book, the authors discuss testing of ballast, including the strength, deformation and degradation aspects of fresh and recycled ballast under monotonic and cyclic loading. The effectiveness of geosynthetics in stabilising recycled ballast has also been examined. A new stress-strain constitutive model for ballast incorporating particle breakage is presented. Finally, a new range of particle gradations, balancing the strength and permeability requirements, has been proposed for future rail tracks. This book is intended as a reference text for final year civil engineering students and postgraduates, and for practicing railway engineers with the task of modernizing existing designs.

This book is an essential introduction to the theory and practice of geotechnics in a railway trackbed engineering context in the UK. It gives the reader knowledge and understanding with practical experience and innovation on how the railway trackbed interacts with the track structure and the adjacent environment. The book is aimed at people new to the rail industry and also a guide for the more experienced railway engineers. Subjects covered in this book are: -Railway; -Trackbed design; -Track stiffness; -Trackbed failures; -Trackbed solutions; -Drainage; -Earthwork; and -Slab-track design. "This is a wide-ranging guide to the theory and practice of Geotechnics as it affects track engineering and should be welcomed by track engineers. It explores the underlying principles with scenarios associated with railway geotechnics mapping the growth of modern techniques, analysis and application." John Edgley CEng FICE FPWI President PWI 2020

Railways are frequently promoted as one of the most sustainable modes of transport. However, their impact will in practice be significantly affected by the ways in which they are designed, constructed, and used. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the issues involved in planning, engineering and operating sustainable railway systems.