JZUS - Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE

Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE A 2012 Vol.13 No.11 P.836-849

Application of polyurethane geocomposites to help maintain track geometry for high-speed ballasted railway tracks

Author(s): Peter Keith Woodward, Abdellah El Kacimi, Omar Laghrouche, Gabriela Medero, Meysam Banimahd
Affiliation(s): Institute for Infrastructure and Environment, School of the Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK
Corresponding email(s): P.K.Woodward@hw.ac.uk
Key Words: Railways, Polyurethanes, Geocomposites, Modelling, High-speed

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Abstract: There are many issues surrounding the performance of critical assets on high-speed ballasted railway lines. At assets like switch & crossings and bridge transitions high track forces can be produced resulting in higher ballast settlements and hence track misalignments. The latter result in higher track forces and hence more settlement, leading to the need for increased track maintenance to ensure comfort and safety. Current technologies for solving issues like ballast movement under high-speed loading regimes are limited. However, a technique that has been well used across the UK and now increasingly overseas to stabilise and reinforce ballasted railway tracks is the application of in-situ polyurethane polymers, termed XiTRACK. This paper discusses how this technique can be used to solve these types of long-standing issues and presents actual polymer application profiles at two typical critical sites, namely a junction and a transition onto concrete slab-track.

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