Railway Engineering (CEng5242)

Railway Track Bed Design and

Analysis

Contents:
• Design Procedures

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• Loading
• Rail Analysis and Selection
• Sleeper Analysis and Selection
• Ballast, Sub ballast Analysis and Selection

2
Track Design Procedures
1. Select design wheel load based on most common, heaviest car and
desired track speed.
2. Select a Track Modulus, u or k, based on desired design deflection
3. Select rail size and section
4. Determine moment and loading coefficients

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5. Check rail bending stress
6. Choose trial tie spacing and calculate maximum rail seat load

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Track Design Procedures…
7. Select tie (sleeper) size,
8. Check tie bending stress,
9. Determine and select plate size based on minimum area,
10. Determine ballast surface stress,
11. Determine ballast depth based on allowable subgrade stress,

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12. Calculate track deflection under load and check on acceptability,
13. If deflection is unacceptable, re-do design.

There are different theories and Method for the analysis and Designs of
Each components of railway track.

4
 Loading
• The loads from the trains are applied by the vehicles onto the rails in the track.
• The vertical, lateral and longitudinal forces resulting from the carrying, guiding
and moving between wheel and rail, as well as from temperature, are shown in
the adjacent figure.
1. Vertical Forces
• Wheel set forces
• Additional forces due to Curves, Discontinuities
in track Rough riding, etc.

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2. Horizontal Forces (Transverse)
• Guiding forces from sinusoidal running,
• Centrifugal forces in curves, wind force, etc.
3. Horizontal Forces (Longitudinal)
• Friction force for driving/Braking
• Friction force when rolling
• Temperature variation in continuously welded
track

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 Loading
• The vertical forces are carried into the rails and then sleepers
and ballast pressure into the multi-layer system ballast-
subgrade-subsoil and distributed and dissipated into it.

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6
 Loading
• There are several empirical formulae that can be applied to
calculate the vertical Design wheel loads (Pd) required.
• They are all expressed as a function of the static wheel load
(P ) and the impact factor (IF):
s

𝑃𝑑 = 𝑃𝑆 ∗ 𝐼𝐹
Note:

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• The impact factor IF is dimensionless and its value is always
greater than the unity regardless of the formulae used
(AREMA 2003).
• The static wheel load is determined by the gross weight of
a train car divided by the total number of wheels of the
car.
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 Loading
• Methods of Calculating IF:
S. Methods Formula Expression
No.
1 AREA 𝑉 AREA=American Railroad Engineering
𝐼𝐹 = 5.21 Association
(1974) 𝐷
V=speed V (km h)
D=wheel diameter D (mm)

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2 Eisenmann 𝐼𝐹 Loading Condition (𝛽);
(1972) =1+𝛽∗𝛿∗𝜂 track condition (𝛿);
∗𝑡 Speed Factor(η): and
Upper Confidence limit(t).
Note 1 (Next Slides) for the values of these
factors
3 ORE 𝐼𝐹 ORE=Office of Research and Experiments
(1969) = 1 + 𝛼 ′ + 𝛽′ 𝛼′=Track Vertical Irregularities
+ 𝛾′ 𝛽 ′ = Curved tracks factors
𝛾′=track and vehicle conditions
Note 2 (Next Slides) for the values of these 8
factors
 Loading
Note 1: Factors for Eisenmann (1972)
• Loading Condition:
• 𝛽= 1.0 for loaded vehicles
• 𝛽=1.5 for empty vehicles
• 𝛽 =1.3 for locomotives with un sprung masses of about 3.5 tones per axle
• track condition
• 𝛿=0.1 for track in very good condition
• 𝛿=0.2 for track in good condition
• 𝛿=0.3 for track in average condition

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• 𝛿=0.4 for track in poor condition
• 𝛿=0.5 for track in very poor condition
• Speed Factor(η):
𝑣
• 𝜂= for Vehicles speed up to 60km/hr
60
𝑉−60
• 𝜂 =1+ for Vehicles speed up to 60 to 200km/hr
140
• Upper Confidence limit(t):
The parameter t is determined from the upper confidence limit that is the probability that
the maximum dynamic wheel load is not exceeded.
• 𝑡=0 for upper Confidence limit of 50%
• 𝑡=1 for upper Confidence limit of 84.1%
9
• 𝑡=2 for upper Confidence limit of 97.7%
• 𝑡=3 for upper Confidence limit of 99.9%
 Loading
Note 2: ORE (1969) Methods
Track Vertical Irregularities:
′ 𝑉 3
• 𝛼 = 0.04 , V is km/h
100
Curved tracks factors:
2𝑑ℎ
• 𝛽′ =
𝐺ℎ 2

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Where;
➢ d=is the super elevation deficiency (m);
➢ h=The perpendicular distance from the two rails to the vehicle’s centre
of mass (m); is the horizontal distance between the centre line of the
rails (m)
track and vehicle conditions:
′ 𝑉 3
• 𝛾 = 0.1 + 0.017 ,V is the speed of the vehicle (km /h) 10
100
 Loading
Methods of Calculating IF: …

Where ,

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• V = vehicle speed (km/h),
• k = track modulus (MPa) , and
• D = wheel diameter (mm)
• ∅=IF
• WMATA =Washington
Metropolitan Transit Authority

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 Loading

• The value of the design wheel load (P) obtained from the
previous section is used to calculate the maximum rail seat
load (R).
• The maximum rail seat load helps us to calculate the stresses
induced in Sleeper and the track components beneath the
sleeper.

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 Rail Analysis and Selection
• The elastic depression of the rail (Rail deflection) and the resulting
rail foot stress (Bending Stresses) must not exceed certain
maximum permissible limits.
• Different models are used to compute the bending moment of the
rail.
• Among these:
• Beam on Elastic Foundation (Analytical solution)

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• Discrete Modeling (Finite Element Solution)

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 Rail Analysis and Selection
Beam on Elastic Foundation (Analytical Solution):
• This methods is the oldest one but still effective of analytical methods.
• Developed by A. N. Talbot and his associates of the joint AREA-ASCE
Committee on Stresses in Track.
• Assumptions:
• The rail is modeled as a beam (with bending stiffness EI) which rests
on a continuous elastic foundation,

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• The elastic foundation represents all track components and is
modeled by evenly distributed linear spring stiffness,
• The stiffness of all components converted to a single representative
Stiffness.

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 Rail Analysis and Selection
Beam on Elastic Foundation

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Where;
• kp is the corresponding stiffness of the pad
• kt is the stiffness of the tie (sleeper),
• Kb is the vertical stiffness of the ballast layer and
• ks is the stiffness of the subgrade.

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 Rail Analysis and Selection
Foundation Stiffness: Example :

For the given stiffness of each components of track, find the track stiffness.
• kp =246MN/m Pad/fastening
• kt =7000MN/m Sleeper
• Kb =106MN/m Ballast
• Ksb =60MN/m Sub-ballast
• ks =12MN/m. Subgrade

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𝟏
𝑲= = 𝟖. 𝟖𝑴𝑵/𝒎
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
+ + + +
𝟐𝟒𝟔 𝟕𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝟏𝟎𝟔 𝟔𝟎 𝟏𝟐

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 Rail Analysis and Selection
Beam on Elastic Foundation
The load from a group of wheels is distributed over adjacent sleepers in
decreasing magnitude, with the proportional part of the load for each
Sleeper being a function of the rail stiffness.

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 Rail Analysis and Selection
Beam on Elastic Foundation
The fundamental relation, considering the track as a continuous and
elastically supported beam, postulated by Winkler and Scheduler for
longitudinal beams holds, that is,

p = -𝜐y
Where

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• P is the upward pressure per unit length
• Y downward deflection
• u = coefficient of track stiffness or elasticity.
The differential equation for an elastic beam based on:

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 Rail Analysis and Selection
Beam on Elastic Foundation
Solving for Y,

where y = track deflection in inches

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• P = wheel load in pounds
• E = modulus of elasticity of rail steel = 30 X 10^6
• I= moment of inertia of the rail in inches to the fourth power
• u =modulus of elasticity of the track support (track stiffness modulus)
e=2.7183
• 𝜆= (u/4E1) 114 =damping factor
• x = distance point from on the deflection and bending moment curves
• EI = flexural rigidity of the rail. 19
 Rail Analysis and Selection
Beam on Elastic Foundation
The successive derivatives of the deflection equation give the slope,
bending moment, shear, and intensity of upward pressure[Hetenyi (1946)].
.
Taking these successive derivatives,
• First Derivatives= slope
• Second Derivatives=Bending
Moment

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• Third Derivatives = Shear
• Fourth derivatives = intensity of
pressure against rail=-𝜐y

A=Loading
B=Deflection
C=slope
D=Moment
E=Shear
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 Beam on Elastic Foundation
• Based on this model, the deflection (y), Rail Seat Load (R) and bending
moment of the rail (M) beam due to the moving load can be determined
Using the derived formulae below

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 Where
 µ is Rail Foundation Stiffness (N/m2)
 K is Rail support Stiffness (N/m), and

 a is sleeper spacing (m)

 P is wheel the load

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 x is the distance along the track

 E is the Young’s modulus of elasticity of the rail steel (beam) and

 I is the second moment of area of the beam.

Beam on Elastic Foundation

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 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Maximum Deflection, Bending Moment and Rail seating Load
• The maximum deflection and bending moment occur at the point
of load application (under the wheel) where x = 0.
• Inserting x = 0 in the foregoing equations, a set of working
equations is obtained for maximum values:
𝑃
• Maximum Bending Moment: 𝑀𝑂 = 4𝛽

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𝑃𝛽𝑎
• Maximum Rail Supporting Force : 𝑅𝑂 = 2
𝑃𝛽
• Maximum Deflection: 𝑌𝑂 = 2𝜇

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 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Example: for a track with the following parameters:
• wheel load of 122.5KN (Single wheel load)
• Rail :
• Mass= 60kg/m rail
• Moment of inertia (I)=3217𝑥10−8 𝑚4
• E= 206𝑥1011 𝑃𝑎

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• Sleeper
• Spacing(a) =60cm
• Track :
• Track stiffness (K)=20MN/m
• IF =1.6
A. Find the maximum deflection, bending moment and reaction,
B. Find the Deflection, Bending Moments and Reaction at 0.6m,
1.2 m and 1.8m from the wheel load.
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 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Example: Solution
• Design wheel load =IF*Ps=1.6*122.5KN=196KN
𝐾 20𝑀𝑁/𝑚
• Rail Foundation Stiffness, µ, (N/m2)= = = 33.33 𝑀𝑁Τ𝑚2
𝑎 0.6𝑚
• EI= 2.06e11 pa X 3217e-8 m4= 6.627X106 Nm2

4 𝜇 4 33
• 𝛽= = = 1.06𝑚−1
4𝐸𝐼 4∗6.627

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A) Maximum BM, R and Y:
𝑃 196𝐾𝑁
• Maximum BM: 𝑀𝑂 = 4𝛽 = 4∗1.06𝑀−1 = 46.224𝐾𝑁. 𝑚
𝑃𝛽𝑎 196𝐾𝑁∗1.06𝑚−1 ∗0.6𝑚
• Maximum R: 𝑅𝑂 = = = 62.33𝐾𝑁
2 2
𝑃𝛽 196𝐾𝑁∗1.06𝑚−1
• Maximum Deflection: 𝑌𝑂 = = = 3.012𝑚𝑚
2𝜇 2∗33.33𝑀𝑁ൗ𝑚2

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 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Example: Solution
B) BM, R and Y @ given points
• Let ; η x = e−βx . (𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛽𝑥 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝛽𝑥) and μ βx = e−βx . (𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛽𝑥 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝛽𝑥)
180°
• And (𝛽𝑥) shall be converted from Rad to degree by Multiplying 𝜋
.
• Then
𝜷
• 𝒀 𝒙 = 𝟐𝝁 P ∗ η(𝒙)

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𝟏
• 𝑴 𝒙 = 𝑷𝝁(𝒙)
𝟒𝜷
𝑷𝜷𝒂
• 𝑹 𝒙 = 𝟐
η 𝒙
• At Point 1 (X=0.6m)
• 𝛽𝑥 =1.06*0.6=0.636
180° 180°
• 𝛈 𝒙 = e−0.636 . (𝑐𝑜𝑠 0.636 ∗ + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 0.636 ∗
3.14 3.14
= 0.5294 ∗ 0.8044 + 0.5939 =0.7403

180° 180°
• 𝝁 𝒙 = e−0.636 . (𝑐𝑜𝑠 0.636 ∗
3.14
− 𝑠𝑖𝑛 0.636 ∗
3.14
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= 0.5294 ∗ 0.8044 + 0.5939 =0.1114
 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Example: Solution
B) BM, R and Y @ given points
𝜷 𝟏.𝟎𝟔𝒎−𝟏
• 𝒀 𝒙 = P ∗η 𝒙 = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝑲𝑵 ∗ 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝒌𝑵 ∗ 𝟎. 𝟕𝟒𝟎𝟑 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟐𝟑𝒎 = 𝟐. 𝟑𝒎𝒎
𝟐𝝁 𝟐∗
𝒎𝟐
𝟏 𝟏
• 𝑴 𝒙 = 𝑷𝝁 𝒙 = ∗ 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝑲𝑵 ∗ 𝟎. 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟒 = 𝟓. 𝟏𝟓𝑲𝑵. 𝒎
𝟒𝜷 𝟒∗𝟏.𝟎𝟔𝒎−𝟏
𝜷𝒂 𝟏.𝟎𝟔𝒎−𝟏 ∗𝟎.𝟔𝒎
• 𝑹 𝒙 = P ∗η 𝒙 = ∗ 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝑲𝑵 ∗ 𝟎. 𝟕𝟒𝟎𝟑 = 𝟒𝟔. 𝟏𝟒𝒌𝑵

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𝟐 𝟐
Following the same procedures:

X(m) e−βx η x μ βx 𝒀 𝒙 , 𝐦𝐦 𝑴 𝒙 , 𝑲𝑵𝒎 𝑹 𝒙 , 𝑲𝑵

0.6 0.5294 0.7403 0.1114 2.33 5.15 46.14

1.2 0.28 0.3504 -0.1853 1.092 -8.568 21.837

1.8 0.1484 0.0909 -0.1891 0.283 -8.743 5.67

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Excel Format can be used for quick computation:
 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Multiple Wheels
• The foregoing computations
involved only one wheel.
• Where more than one wheel is
involved, as in a car truck or a
locomotive power truck, the

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deflection and bending moment
curves for each wheel are plotted
for the position that wheel
occupies.
A composite deflection curve and
composite bending moment curves
are then determined and plotted
by superposition, that is, by
adding algebraically the 28
ordinates of each individual curve.
 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Multiple Wheels
• Example: For track parameters given in the above example find the
BM, R and Y for the sleepers 1 -5 of figure below.

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• Solution
• Determining the distances of sleepers from each wheel load.

Sleeper No. 1 2 3 4 5
Distance from P1 0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4
Distance from P2 1.2 0.6 0 0.6 1.2
29
Global X (reference P1) 0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4
 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Multiple Wheels: Example
Solving for deflection (mm).
Sleeper No. 1 2 3 4 5
Due to P1 3.116 2.307 1.092 0.283 -0.065
Due to P2 1.092 2.307 3.116 2.307 1.092
Total (Super position) 4.208 4.614 4.208 2.59 1.027

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Solving for BM(KNm).
Sleeper No. 1 2 3 4 5
Due to P1 46.226 5.151 -8.568 -8.742 -5.645
Due to P2 -8.568 5.151 46.226 5.151 -8.568
Total (Super position) 37.658

Solving for Reaction (KN).

Sleeper No. 1 2 3 4 5
Due to P1 62.328 46.145 21.837 5.668 -1.293
Due to P2 21.837 46.145 62.328 46.145 21.837
30
Total (Super position) 84.165 92.29 84.165 51.813 20.544
 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Multiple Wheels: Example
Deflecton, mm
6

0 Reaction, KN

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0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
-2 100

Due to P1 Due to P2 Total (Super position)

80

Moment, KNm 60
50
40 40
30
20
20
10
0
0 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
-10 -20
-20 Due to P1 Due to P2 Total (Super position)
31
Due to P1 Due to P2 Total (Super position)
 Beam on Elastic Foundation
Bending stress
• Once the Maximum Bending Moment on the rail is obtained the stress in the rail can
be analyzed as follows.
• d= My/I or d = Mo/Z
• Where,
• d = Bending stress,
• Mo= Max bending moment,
• c = Distance to base from neutral axis,
• I = Moment of inertia of rail,

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• Z = Section modulus, I/c (properties of rail section)
• Maximum bending stress <= allowable bending stress!!!
Example:
• Rail: UIC 60(60EI)
• I=3.055𝑥10−8 𝑚4
• Zb=80.9mm=0.0809m
• Zt= H-Zb=172-80.9=91.1mm=0.0911m
• BM=37.658KNm (Multiple wheel result)
• Bending Stress?
𝑀𝑌 37.658𝐾𝑁𝑀∗0.091𝑚
• 𝛿= = =112.3Mpa---------Top
𝐼 3.055𝑥10−8 𝑚4
32
𝑀𝑌 37.658𝐾𝑁𝑀∗0.0809𝑚
• 𝛿= = = 99.72Mpa---------Bottom
𝐼 3.055𝑥10−8 𝑚4
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
• Sleeper is one of the most important components in the
railway track system.
• This structural element has several functions;
example,
• transmitting the rail load to the ballast layer,
• providing mechanical resistance in lateral and vertical directions

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and
• maintaining track gauge.
• The exact contact pressure distribution between the
sleeper and the ballast and its variation with time will be
of importance in the structural design of sleepers.
• Various hypothetical and theoretical opinions about the
loading pattern of sleeper have been presented up to
now 33
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
• In common methods of analysis and design as
recommended by AREMA, analysis steps of concrete
sleeper include:
1. Calculation of dynamic load transferred from wheel to
the concrete sleeper,
2. Determination of the maximum rail seat load,

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3. Determination of pressure distribution status
underneath the sleeper, and
4. Attainment of bending moment along the sleeper
(especially, at the rail seat position and sleeper center)

34
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
Maximum load at rail seat Load
• Several factors affect axle load distribution on
adjacent sleepers which include:
• Rail support modulus,
• Sleeper distance(Spacing),
• Weight of rail,

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• Characteristics of fastening system,
• Type and dimension of sleepers and
• Quantity and quality of maintenance operations.
• Among these factors, rail support modulus is more important
than other factors because the effects of other factors are
hidden within this factor.
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 Sleeper Analysis and Design
Formulas for calculation of maximum rail seat load
Developer Formula
Awoleye formula 0.5P
Australian formula 0.43P
REA (Pre-stressed concrete sleepers at 760 mm centers 0.6P
RE (BR type F pre-stressed concrete sleeper at 760 mm centers) 0.65P

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Watanabe (Finite element analysis 0.4P
Iranian code 301 (Pre-stressed concrete sleeper at 600 mm centers) 0.6P
Clark S*u*y*f

Where;
s = sleepers space (mm),
𝜇 =rail support modulus (MPa),
Ym=maximum deflection of rail due to wheel load (mm), and
f= factor of safety for considering the changes of support conditions due to
maintenance operations. 36
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
Load distribution: Effects of track modulus, 𝝁
• Rail support modulus is an important parameter which
affects track performance and maintenance costs.
• A low amount of Track modulus causes:
• the track differential settlements,

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• axle load to be distributed over a fewer number of sleepers
and therefore the received share of axle load for any
sleeper finally increases
• High amount of track modulus causes:
• the reduction of dis placement and stress in rail support.
• axle load to be distributed over a more number of sleepers.

37
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
Load distribution: Effects of Rail support modulus, 𝝁
• Which Rail track foundation is more Stiff?

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B

38
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
Pressure distribution under the Sleeper
• Under sleeper, stresses are the response of the ballast layer
against the applied load from the sleeper.
• Numerous factors affect the contact pressure distribution
underneath the sleeper which includes:
• aggregation quality of ballast,
• mechanical properties of concrete sleeper (rigidity),

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• quality of track maintenance operations,
• volume of passing traffic and time passed after tamping operation,
etc.
• In order to analyze and calculate the loading and
bending occurred in concrete sleepers, various railway
regulations consider a simple form of stress distribution
beneath the sleeper.
• A number of hypothetical distributions of sleeper ballast 39
contact pressure are presented in Table:
 Sleeper Analysis and Design

Table . Hypothetical
distributions of
sleeper-ballast
contact pressure.

Once the Distribution of

contact pressure underneath

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The sleeper is selected, the
Analysis can be done either
• Manually (analytically) or
• FEM (Software):
• ETABS, ANSYIS, ABAQUS, etc.

Source: 40
J. A. Zakeri and R. Abbasi / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 26 (12) (2012) 3885-
3892
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
• Pressure distribution under the sleeper: Simplified
1. Middle Unsupported
2. Middle Partially Support
3. Full support

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• Parameters to be analyzed:
41
• Ballast pressure, BM, Bending stress, Shear stress and check with the allowable
stress (Carrying capacity)
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
• Ballast pressure
𝑅
𝑞𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐴𝑑
𝑏

Where,
• 𝑅𝑑 is rail seat load
• 𝐴𝑏 effective bearing area of sleeper

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Model Bearing Area (𝐴𝑏 )

1 Middle 𝑨𝒃 = 𝒆𝒃 (AS 1085.14-2003)

Unsupported • e=0.5*(l-g) (standard &broad gauge)
• e=0.4 (l-g) for narrow gauge)
2 Middle Partially
Support 1
𝐴𝑏 = 3 𝑙𝑏 (AREMA)
1
e=3 𝑙
3 Full support 42
1
𝐴𝑏 = 2 𝑙𝑏 Rare case
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
EXAMPLE:
The sleeper is to be designed with C-30 on the the standard rail
gauge. The dimension of the sleeper and Loading condition is given
as follows:
Sleeper parameter: Loading Condition
• L=2.5m

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• Wheel load =122.5KN
• b=0.275 • Impact factor =1.6
• a1=0.475m • Rd=0.5*Pd

Determine the following:

- Maximum Ballast pressure on the sleeper for the following cases:
- Middle Unsupported
- Middle Partially Support
- Full support
43
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
EXAMPLE: Solution
Loading:
• 𝑃𝑑 = 𝐼. 𝐹 ∗ 𝑃𝑤 = 1.6 ∗ 122.5 = 196𝐾𝑁
• 𝑅𝑑 = ∅ ∗ 𝑃𝑑 = 0.5 ∗ 196 = 98𝐾𝑁
𝑅 98𝐾𝑁
• 𝑞𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐴𝑑 =
𝑏 𝐴𝑏

Ballast Pressures:

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q
Line
Pressure load
Model Bearing Area ((𝐀𝐛 ) , 𝐦𝟐 (Kpa) (KN/m)
Middle 𝑙−𝑔 𝑏
1 Unsupported 𝐴𝑏 = = (2.5 − 1.453)*0.275=0.281𝑚2 348.2 92
2
Middle Partially 1 1
𝐴𝑏 = 𝑙𝑏 = ∗ 2.5 ∗ 0.275 = 0.2292𝑚2
2 Support 3 3 427.64 117.6
1 1 44
𝐴𝑏 = 𝑙𝑏 = ∗ 2.5 ∗ 0.275 = 0.344𝑚2
3 Full Support 2 2 285.09 78.4
 Sleeper Analysis and Design
EXAMPLE: Solutions
Analysis results: BM and Shear Force
• Use software (Sap, Etabs, ANSIYS or any FEM software) or manual
for analysis of each model.

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HOME WORK

45
 Ballast and Sub-Ballast
❖ The load passed onto the sleeper from the rail is in turn transferred to the
ballast.
❖ The efficacy of this load transmission depends not only on the elasticity of
the sleeper but also on the size, shape, and depth of the ballast as well as
the degree of compaction under the sleeper.

❖Talbot has analyzed the

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pressure distribution in the
ballast under the sleeper
and investigations reveal
that the pressure
distribution curve under the
sleeper would be shaped
like bulbs as shown in Fig.
46
 Ballast and roadbed strength
Stress in ballast and sub-ballast: Trapezoidal distribution
Assumption：
❖ Pressure distributed uniformly
❖ Linear diffusion downward with certain angle
❖ Ignoring adjacent sleeper
❖The intersection of the lateral and longitudinal diffusion line divided

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ballast into three parts,

❖Ballast stress transfer diagram 47

 Ballast and roadbed strength
Stress in ballast and on top surface of sub grade
❑ The body volume equal to the acting force
❑ Second Section
❑First Section
✓ (0<h<h1, where, h1=0.5*b tan∅) ✓ (h1<h<h2, where, h2=0.5*e’
✓Both b and e’ keep constant tan∅)
𝑅𝑑 ✓ b Varies with h and e’ keep
𝛿ℎ = constant

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𝑏∗𝑒
❖ b’ = b+2htan∅

❑ Third Section
✓ (h > h2)
✓ Both b and e’ Varies with h
❖ b’ = b+2htan∅
❖ e” = e’+2htan∅
• ∅ is the frictional angle from horizontal axis 48
 Example
Sleeper: Concrete sleeper
• Spacing=0.6m on standard gauge track.
• Length 2.5m, a1=47.5cmand b=27.5cm
• Rd=0.5p=98KN
• Model: Middle un supported

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Ballast: 35cm thickness,
Sub-ballast: 50cm thickness
Find the Stresses at top and bottom surface of:
• ballast layer(assume pressure distribution angle along ballast
• Top of subgrade (Bottom of Sub-ballast)

Assume pressure distribution angle along ballast and sub-ballast are 49

the same ,=35O
 Example : Solution
• Middle un supported model:
• e’=0.5*(l-g)=0.5*(2.5-1.453)=0.5235m
• h1=0.5*b tan∅= 0.5*0. 275 *tan 35O = 0.096m
• h2=0.5*e’ tan∅= 0.5*0.5235 *tan 35O = 0.183m
• At top of ballast:
98𝑘𝑁

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• 𝛿0 = 0.275∗0.5235 = 0.68𝑀𝑝𝑎
• At bottom of ballast: h=0.35m >h2=0.183
❖ b’ = b+2htan∅ = 0.275+2*0.35*tan 35O = 0.765m
❖ e” = e’+2htan∅ = 0.5235+2*0.35*tan 35O = 1.014m
98𝑘𝑁
𝛿0.35𝑚 = = 0.116𝑀𝑝𝑎
0.765 ∗ 1.014𝑚2
• At bottom of Sub-ballast: h=0.35m+0.5m=0.8m >h2=0.183
❖ b’ = b+2htan∅ = 0.275+2*0.8*tan 35O = 1.395m
❖ e” = e’+2htan∅ = 0.5235+2*0.8*tan 35O = 1.644m
98𝑘𝑁 50
𝛿0.35𝑚 = = 0.043𝑀𝑝𝑎
1.395 ∗ 1.644𝑚2
 General Concept/Summary
• Track structure design and construction uses stress reduction system
vertically downward(Rail with higher stress and the least stress at
roadbed level).

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General Concept/Summary

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