INDICATIONS OF RAILWAY TRACK PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS ON EMBANKMENTS FROM GROUND PENETRATING RADAR

Investigations of track locations that are not performing well have provided data indicating that ground penetrating radar (GPR) has strong potential as a tool for evaluating the condition of track and diagnosing the cause of track performance problems. The investigation of two railway embankments with track performance problems related to embankment instability provide good examples of the potential for GPR use on track. This paper describes the sites, testing equipment and procedures, and the results as background for conducting investigations of geotechnical problems on railway track. At Site 1, a network level survey was conducted along approximately 130 km of track as part of an infrastructure maintenance management project focused on evaluating the cause of poor performance at a variety of sites. In this case, the GPR data provided insight to the problem since one layer interface dipped and went off-scale, consistent with the theory that the fill settled and the settlement was corrected by dumping ballast and surfacing. This would cause lower layers in the old ballast material to appear later in the timescale (deeper below tie), and perhaps off-scale, in the zone of poor performance. At Site 2, a site specific investigation was conducted to evaluate the cause of poor performance at a chronic problem location. Changes in the subsurface GPR reflection patterns were found to correspond closely to the zone of track settlement indicating that a difference in the structural condition of the embankment was causing the settlement. Several layers were identified using GPR and these layers were used with data available from borings at the site to interpret a cross-section of the subsurface stratigraphy to aid in diagnosis of the cause of the track settlement. Both sites indicate that substructure changes corresponding to the settlement can be identified in GPR data. In addition, layer interfaces can be interpreted to provide a more comprehensive picture of the subsurface conditions. For the covering abstract see ITRD E123713.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0947644458
• Corporate Authors:

  ENGINEERING TECHNICS PRESS

  46 CLUNY GARDENS
  EDINBURGH,   United Kingdom  EH10 6BN
• Authors:
  • Sussmann, T R
  • Hyslip, J P
• Publication Date: 2001

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 12 p.
• Serial:
  • PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE RAILWAY ENGINEERING 2001, HELD LONDON, UK, 30 APRIL - 1 MAY 2001 - CDROM
  • Publisher: ENGINEERING TECHNICS PRESS

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ballast (Railroads); Condition surveys; Conferences; Embankments; Ground settlement; Nondestructive tests; Pavement layers; Radar; Railroad tracks; Rocks; Soil mechanics; Test procedures
• Uncontrolled Terms: Ballast
• ITRD Terms: 4559: Coarse aggregate; 3857: Condition survey; 8525: Conference; 2801: Embankment; 2952: Layer; 6216: Non destructive testing; 6738: Radar; 1062: Railway track; 4154: Rock; 5792: Settlement; 5755: Soil mechanics; 6288: Test method
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00985504
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-947644-45-8
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Feb 4 2005 12:00AM