Evaluation of railway ballast layer consolidation after maintenance works

Abstract

The results of the study of the ballast layer consolidation after the work of ballast-tamping machines of different types are given in the article. The existing methods of determining the degree of consolidation of the ballast layer are analysed. The seismic method was improved by means of a complex dynamic and kinematic interpretation of the impulse response. For the dynamic interpretation with the use of statistical analysis, the features are selected so that they correspond to the degree of consolidation of the ballast layer. On the basis of researches, a device and software were developed that allow an automated evaluation of the ballast layer consolidation based on the kinematic and dynamic analysis of the measured impulse response. The measurements of the degree of the ballast layer consolidation after an operation of ballast-consolidation machines in different sequences allowed establishing the efficiency of the consolidation and the feasibility of the machines’ application.