Deformation and Degradation Mechanisms of Railway Ballast under High Frequency Cyclic Loading

Abstract

The increased demand for higher speeds and increased freight capacity in railroad transportation exacerbates the rate of ballast degradation that leads to unacceptable track deformation and frequent maintenance. In response, a series of large-scale cyclic triaxial tests was performed to investigate the combined effect of train speed (frequency), axle load, and confinement on the deformation and degradation of ballast. In these tests, the load frequency