Discrete Element Modelling of Rubber-Protected Ballast Performance Subjected to Direct Shear Test and Cyclic Loading

Yunlong Guo, Yameng Ji, Qiang Zhou, Valeri Markine and Guoqing Jing
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Yunlong Guo: Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 2628CN Delft, The Netherlands
Yameng Ji: School of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Qiang Zhou: School of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Valeri Markine: Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 2628CN Delft, The Netherlands
Guoqing Jing: School of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-31

Abstract: The rubber-protected ballast (RPB) is made from natural ballast particles and crumb rubber particles. The crumb rubber is shredded waste tires. RPB was chosen to replace the ballast as it has higher resistance to breakage and abrasion. However, the static and dynamic performance of the RPB has not been confirmed yet. Towards this end, experimental tests and numerical simulations were utilized to study the feasibility of RPB application. Direct shear tests (DSTs) were performed and a DST model and three-sleeper track model with the discrete element method (DEM) were built. The shear strength, settlement, displacement, and acceleration of the RPB were studied. The results show that the RPB has the advantage of increasing the force (stress) distribution and that the smaller crumb rubber size was more suitable for replacing the ballast particles.

Keywords: RPB; railway ballast; DEM; dynamic performance; ballast degradation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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