Adequate lateral resistance is required to provide the stable track structure necessary for safe rail operations on passenger and freight railroad track. Insufficient lateral resistance coupled with a large thermal compression force in the rail from high rail temperature could buckle the track structure. Railroads typically employ mechanical stabilization, slow orders, or both following maintenance operations that disturb the ballast section such as surfacing and alignment of track. The objective of the test reported in this paper was to improve the understanding of lateral resistance variations on concrete tie track due to surfacing and subsequent stabilization/compaction. The paper begins with a summary of the factors influencing track stability, briefly describes the maintenance procedures, describes the testing conducted using the single tie push test, and presents the results. The test was conducted to evaluate the changes in lateral resistance from the trafficked, well-consolidated track structure prior to surfacing and alignment through the laterally weak track structure after surfacing and then to evaluate the influence of stabilization on the lateral resistance of the track structure. The results of the test indicate that surfacing significantly reduces the lateral stability of the track to a potentially critical level. Mechanical stabilization following surfacing provided a significant increase in lateral stability in all sections tested.


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    Title :

    Investigation of the Influence of Track Maintenance on the Lateral Resistance of Concrete Tie Track


    Contributors:
    T. Sussmann (author) / A. Kish (author) / M. Trosino (author)

    Publication date :

    2007


    Size :

    18 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





    Influence of Track Maintenance on Lateral Resistance of Concrete-Tie Track

    Sussmann, Theodore / Kish, Andrew / Trosino, Michael | Transportation Research Record | 2003


    Lateral track strength and resistance to track shift

    Zarembski, Allan M. | IuD Bahn | 1995


    Lateral Resistance of Railroad Track

    I. A. Reiner | NTIS | 1977