Experimental and numerical studies for evaluating dynamic behaviour of pre-stressed concrete sleepers subject to severe impact loading

Abstract

Rail operators are consistently demanding higher axle loads to compete effectively with other modes of transport, particularly for heavy haul freight of minerals. However, high axle loads can only be achieved by ensuring that the existing rail infrastructure can cope with the greater static and dynamic loads associated with the wheel-rail interactions. Premature cracking of prestressed concrete sleepers is often the result of high-intensity dynamic loading caused by wheel or rail irregularities. The high-magnitude wheel loads produced by …