Field Validation of Vertical Tie Reaction Force Measurement Using Rail Strain Gauges
Strain gauges are often used to measure vertical wheel loads in a railroad track. This approach is based on the concept of Differential Shear Strain (DSS) measurement, which is the difference in vertical shear force between two points along a beam equals the magnitude of the resultant applied vertical force in between. This concept can be extended to measure vertical tie reaction forces and quantify tie support conditions by a slight modification to the strain gauge positions and installation of an additional set of strain gauges. This possible application was first proposed by Ahlbeck et al. (1980) and has been used by a limited number of studies in the past (Mishra et al. 2014). Although the railroad community widely uses DSS methods to measure vertical wheel loads, the validity of this approach for tie reaction measurement has been relatively unexplored. Conceptually, the approach is identical to the vertical wheel load measurement system where strain gages are placed in the crib between the ties; the only difference is the placement of an additional set of strain gauges above the tie. On October 2021 in Chambersburg, PA, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) tasked ENSCO Inc. and Oklahoma State University (OSU) to verify the concept and assess how different track and loading configurations can affect the accuracy of the measurements. This document provides a summary of the results for statically applied loads.
- Record URL:
- Record URL:
- Publication Date: 2022-3
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; References;
- Pagination: 4p
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Serial:
- Research Results
- Issue Number: RR 22-06
- Publisher: Federal Railroad Administration
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Publication flags:
Open Access (libre)
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Field tests; Railroad ties; Railroad tracks; Shear strain; Strain gages; Wheel loads
- Subject Areas: Maintenance and Preservation; Railroads;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01841354
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
- Created Date: Apr 3 2022 4:18PM