CONGRESS DELEGATES SEE ORE TRACK TESTS AT DERBY

The British Railway's research centre includes a rolling load test rig which provides unique facilities for track structure research under controlled laboratory conditions. In the last ten years the soil mechanics section at Derby has achieved a good understanding of the way in which the truck substructure fails through inadequate ballast, and this work has resulted in a set of rules which define the minimum ballast depth in terms of the threshold strength of the subgrade and the weight of traffic. Now the main focus of attention is the ballast itself and the way in which it behaves under cyclic loading. Closely related to the stresses imposed on the ballast is the design of the track, and ORE has commissioned a two-year test programme to determine the most satisfactory combinations of rail weight, sleeper width and sleeper spacing. This will be followed by a further programme of tests on the ballast itself, taking up to four years in all. Facilities exist to provide horizontal loading of the track so as to measure the effects on lateral stability of variables such as sleeper depth, width and spacing.

Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03735346
Corporate Authors:
IPC Transport Press, Limited

Dorset House, Stamford Street
London SE1 9LU, England
Publication Date: 1971-6

Media Info

Features: Photos;
Pagination: p. 238-239
Serial:
- Railway Gazette International
- Publisher: DVV Media Group
- ISSN: 0373-5346
- Serial URL: http://www.railwaygazette.com/about-us.html

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Ballast (Railroads); Dynamic loads; Equipment design; Equipment tests; Railroad rails; Railroad ties; Railroad tracks; Spacing; Technology
Uncontrolled Terms: Ballast
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
Old TRIS Terms: Cross tie spacing; Test equipment
Subject Areas: Design; Railroads;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 00037414
Record Type: Publication
Files: TRIS
Created Date: Nov 24 1973 12:00AM