Laboratory Study of the Failure Characteristics of Fouled Ballast: Phase II

Details

• Creators:
  Rohrman, Andrew K. ; Ho, Carlton L. ; Kashani, Hamed F. ; Hyslip, James P.
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Massachusetts at Amherst ; HyGround Engineering
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Railroad Policy and Development ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research, Development, and Technology
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Railroads
  • Ballast (Railroads)
  • Railroad tracks
  • Laboratory tests
  • Substructures
  • Moisture content
  • Mechanical loads
  • fouling
  • water content
  • loading
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT/FRA/ORD-20/04
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Edition:
  Technical Report, May 2017-December 2018
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration
• Abstract:
  This report presents the results of a series of triaxial tests and modified box tests performed on abraded ballast at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. While Phase I involved the same tests performed on highly angular ballast, this phase is broken into two parts: Phase IIa and IIb. Both parts use ballast taken from a rail line in Shelburne Falls, MA, which were abraded and fouled from years of service in-track. Phase IIa used the natural fouling material, and Phase IIb mixed the natural fouling material with a kaolinite clay. The tests in each phase were prepared to comparable moisture contents and fouling conditions. This allows for a better understanding of the influence of ballast particle shape and fouling types on the strength properties and deformation of ballast. The results show that the angular and abraded ballasts have similar strength properties, but that the abraded ballast experiences higher amounts of deformation and settlement. The addition of fouling containing plastic fines results in losses in strength for the abraded ballast, as well as increased susceptibility to deformations.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  DTFR531GC00020 ; FR16RPD31000000026
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/44124/dot_44124_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 6.24 MB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection ; Federal Railroad Administration
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:eac3299dea0a2ffaed284889fde9f719604d72063d6b59d9ebe7753df65317a8