BALLAST MANAGEMENT

A PREREQUISITE FOR A RELIABLE,

AVAILABLE, MAINTAINABLE,
AFFORDABLE AND
SAFE RAILWAY
TRACK

Leon Zaayman
Kimba Consulting
leonz@kimba.co.za

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 INTRODUCTION

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 INTRODUCTION
Main functions of the ballast bed:
 To resist vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces applied to the sleeper

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 INTRODUCTION
Main functions of the ballast bed:
 To resist vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces applied to the sleeper
 To provide the elasticity of the track and reduce pressures from the sleeper bearing area
to acceptable stress levels on the formation

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 INTRODUCTION
Main functions of the ballast bed:
 To resist vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces applied to the sleeper
 To provide the elasticity of the track and reduce pressures from the sleeper bearing area
to acceptable stress levels on the formation
 To provide large voids for effective drainage of water entering the ballast bed

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 INTRODUCTION
Main functions of the ballast bed:
 To resist vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces applied to the sleeper
 To provide the elasticity of the track and reduce pressures from the sleeper bearing area
to acceptable stress levels on the formation
 To provide large voids for effective drainage of water entering the ballast bed
 To allow correction of vertical and horizontal alignment defects of the track

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 INTRODUCTION
Main functions of the ballast bed:
 To resist vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces applied to the sleeper
 To provide the elasticity of the track and reduce pressures from the sleeper bearing area
to acceptable stress levels on the formation
 To provide large voids for effective drainage of water entering the ballast bed
 To allow correction of vertical and horizontal alignment defects of the track

For the ballast to effectively perform these

functions, it has to conform to a:

 Desired Ballast Bed Profile

 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics

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 PRESENTATION TOPICS

 Criteria Requirements
 Causes Of A Deviation From Requirements
 Effect Of Poor Ballast Management
 Ballast Management Methods

 Desired Ballast Bed Profile

 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Criteria Requirements:

 Criteria Requirements
 Desired Ballast Bed Profile  Causes Of A Deviation From Requirements
 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics  Effect Of Poor Ballast Management
 Ballast Management Methods

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Criteria Requirements:
 The sleeper should rest inside the ballast with the cribs filled with ballast and a shoulder
of approximately 250 to 300 mm

±250 - 300 mm

(N1 AND N2 CLASS LINES IN THE “A” STANDARD)

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Criteria Requirements:
 The sleeper should rest inside the ballast with the cribs filled with ballast and a shoulder
of approximately 250 to 300 mm
 The ballast depth should be kept at between 200 mm to 300 mm depending on the line
type

200 - 300 mm

(N1 AND N2 CLASS LINES IN THE “A” STANDARD)

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Criteria Requirements:
 The sleeper should rest inside the ballast with the cribs filled with ballast and a shoulder
of approximately 250 to 300 mm
 The ballast depth should be kept at between 200 mm to 300 mm depending on the line
type
 The slope of the ballast should be at approximately 1:1.5 which is generally the natural
fall angle of the ballast at the required ballast depth

1:1,5

(N1 AND N2 CLASS LINES IN THE “A” STANDARD)

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Criteria Requirements:
 The sleeper should rest inside the ballast with the cribs filled with ballast and a shoulder
of approximately 250 to 300 mm
 The ballast depth should be kept at between 200 mm to 300 mm depending on the line
type
 The slope of the ballast should be at approximately 1:1.5 which is generally the natural
fall angle of the ballast at the required ballast depth
 The formation should have a cross fall towards the drain at a slope of 1:25. This is
required to direct the water which drains through the ballast, towards the drain

Side slope 1:25

(N1 AND N2 CLASS LINES IN THE “A” STANDARD)

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Causes And Effects:

 Criteria Requirements
 Desired Ballast Bed Profile  Causes Of A Deviation From Requirements
 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics  Effect Of Poor Ballast Management
 Ballast Management Methods

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Causes And Effects:
 Rail surface defects such as notches, wheel burn marks and poorly maintained rail joints;
poor geometry; rolling stock wheels with flat spots, etc cause high dynamic impact loads;

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Causes And Effects:
 Rail surface defects such as notches, wheel burn marks and poorly maintained rail joints;
poor geometry; rolling stock wheels with flat spots, etc cause high dynamic impact loads;
 which cause broken sleepers, crushing of the ballast,
a reduction in the void spaces between the ballast
stones and a reduction in the ballast volume

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Causes And Effects:
 Rail surface defects such as notches, wheel burn marks and poorly maintained rail joints;
poor geometry; rolling stock wheels with flat spots, etc cause high dynamic impact loads;
 which cause broken sleepers, crushing of the ballast,
a reduction in the void spaces between the ballast
stones and a reduction in the ballast volume
 Due to the ballast fouling and inadequate ballast
depth under the sleeper, the ballast bed becomes
inelastic which causes corrugations on the rail
surface, further accelerating damage to the entire
track structure

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Causes And Effects:
 Rail surface defects such as notches, wheel burn marks and poorly maintained rail joints;
poor geometry; rolling stock wheels with flat spots, etc cause high dynamic impact loads;
 which cause broken sleepers, crushing of the ballast,
a reduction in the void spaces between the ballast
stones and a reduction in the ballast volume
 Due to the ballast fouling and inadequate ballast
depth under the sleeper, the ballast bed becomes
inelastic which causes corrugations on the rail
surface, further accelerating damage to the entire
track structure
 Too little ballast under the sleeper also increases
the load on the formation and combined with the
dynamic forces, reduce the life expectancy of the
formation, increasing the lifecycle cost of the
track and causing premature formation
rehabilitation

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Causes And Effects:
 Rail surface defects such as notches, wheel burn marks and poorly maintained rail joints;
poor geometry; rolling stock wheels with flat spots, etc cause high dynamic impact loads;
 The vibration will also cause the ballast to become liquid enough to flow over a wide
area. The ballast can eventually vibrate down embankments, especially in areas where
the formation is very narrow

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Causes And Effects:
 Rail surface defects such as notches, wheel burn marks and poorly maintained rail joints;
poor geometry; rolling stock wheels with flat spots, etc cause high dynamic impact loads;
 The vibration will also cause the ballast to become liquid enough to flow over a wide
area. The ballast can eventually vibrate down embankments, especially in areas where
the formation is very narrow
 If there is no ballast shoulder, a reduction in the lateral stability of the track will
increase the risk of temperature kick-outs which will result in a derailment

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Causes And Effects:
 Rail surface defects such as notches, wheel burn marks and poorly maintained rail joints;
poor geometry; rolling stock wheels with flat spots, etc cause high dynamic impact loads;
 People and animals walking across the railway line in populated areas will spread the ballast
over a wide area

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Ballast Bed Profile Management Methods:

 Criteria Requirements
 Desired Ballast Bed Profile  Causes Of A Deviation From Requirements
 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics  Effect Of Poor Ballast Management
 Ballast Management Methods

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Ballast Bed Profile Management Methods:
 If the ballast depth and volume is inadequate – new ballast must be offloaded, regulated
and the track tamped to increase the ballast depth

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Ballast Bed Profile Management Methods:
 If the ballast depth and volume is inadequate – new ballast must be offloaded, regulated
and the track tamped to increase the ballast depth
 If the ballast volume is adequate but spread over a wide area – ballast regulating machines
can be used grade the ballast in and correct the ballast profile

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Ballast Bed Profile Management Methods:
 If the ballast depth and volume is inadequate – new ballast must be offloaded, regulated
and the track tamped to increase the ballast depth
 If the ballast volume is adequate but spread over a wide area – ballast regulating machines
can be used grade the ballast in and correct the ballast profile
 If the distances are not too long – conventional ballast regulating machines can be used
to transfer the ballast longitudinally along the line or across the track

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 DESIRED BALLAST BED PROFILE
Ballast Bed Profile Management Methods:
 If the ballast depth and volume is inadequate – new ballast must be offloaded, regulated
and the track tamped to increase the ballast depth
 If the ballast volume is adequate but spread over a wide area – ballast regulating machines
can be used grade the ballast in and correct the ballast profile
 If the distances are not too long – conventional ballast regulating machines can be used
to transfer the ballast longitudinally along the line or across the track
 If the distances are too great – specialised machines are required which is capable of
picking up the excess ballast and transporting and regulating the ballast profile in areas of
deficit ballast

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 PRESENTATION TOPICS

 Criteria Requirements
 Desired Ballast Bed Profile  Causes Of A Deviation From Requirements
 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics  Effect Of Poor Ballast Management
 Ballast Management Methods

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Criteria Requirements:

 Criteria Requirements
 Desired Ballast Bed Profile  Causes Of A Deviation From Requirements
 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics  Effect Of Poor Ballast Management
 Ballast Management Methods

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REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Criteria Requirements:
 The required ballast stone characteristics are specified by the Transnet specification
for the supply of stone contents S406

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REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Criteria Requirements:
 The required ballast stone characteristics are specified by the Transnet specification
for the supply of stone contents S406
 Good ballast material is considered to be stones which are angular, abrasion & wear resistant
and broadly graded & free of fine material

BALLAST GRADING CURVE S406 100

100 96.5
Passing Sieve by Mass (%)

100
90 95
77
80
70 100% Fouled
60
50 55
44.4
40 0% Fouled
30
30 25
21.2
16 18
20
20
10 3
0.25
0
4.75 6.7 9.5 13.2 19 26.5 37.5 53 63
Sieve Size (mm)

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Causes And Effects:

 Criteria Requirements
 Desired Ballast Bed Profile  Causes Of A Deviation From Requirements
 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics  Effect Of Poor Ballast Management
 Ballast Management Methods

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Causes And Effects:
 Ballast fouling is caused by:

 Internal degradation of the ballast bed caused by ballast fracture and abrasion due to –
 traffic induced loading, especially dynamic loading caused by flat rolling stock wheels
and rail surface defects
 chemical weathering

 External infiltration of alien fines –

 from the surface, wind-blown or washed in during heavy rain
 dropped from trains

 Infiltration from underlying granular layers –

 subballast particle migration from inadequate gradation
 subgrade infiltration

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REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Causes And Effects:

±20% Fouling ±100 to 120% Fouling

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Causes And Effects:
 If this fouling in the ballast is not removed, it will have the following effects:

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Causes And Effects:
 If this fouling in the ballast is not removed, it will have the following effects:
 the fouled ballast reduces the elasticity of the track

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Causes And Effects:
 If this fouling in the ballast is not removed, it will have the following effects:
 the fouled ballast reduces the elasticity of the track
 poor durability after maintenance inputs

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Causes And Effects:
 If this fouling in the ballast is not removed, it will have the following effects:
 the fouled ballast reduces the elasticity of the track
 poor durability after maintenance inputs
 fouled ballast prevents effective drainage of the ballast bed

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Causes And Effects:
 If this fouling in the ballast is not removed, it will have the following effects:
 the fouled ballast reduces the elasticity of the track
 poor durability after maintenance inputs
 fouled ballast prevents effective drainage of the ballast bed

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 REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Ballast Grading Management Methods:

 Criteria Requirements
 Desired Ballast Bed Profile  Causes Of A Deviation From Requirements
 Required Ballast Stone
Characteristics  Effect Of Poor Ballast Management
 Ballast Management Methods

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REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Ballast Grading Management Methods:

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REQUIRED BALLAST STONE CHARACTERISTICS
Ballast Grading Management Methods:

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 CONCLUSION

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