A Mechanistic Investigation of Concrete Tie Degradation in the Rail Seat
| University | Texas A&M University (TAMU) |
| Principal Investigators | Zachary Grasley, Ph.D., Civil Engineering (PI) |
| PI Contact Information | 503B CEOB College Station, TX 77843-3135 Office (979) 353-1324 zgrasley@civil.tamu.edu |
| Funding Source(s) and Amounts Provided (by each agency or organization) | Federal Funds (USDOT UTC Program): $75,000 |
| Total Project Cost | $75,000 |
| Agency ID or Contract Number | DTRT13-G-UTC59 |
| Start and End Dates | May 2016 - December 2017 |
| Brief Description of Research Project | Concrete rail ties often degrade prematurely at the rail seat. Such deterioration has been investigated by other researchers, but such studies have generally associated deterioration with a single environmental or mechanical source. In contrast, it is hypothesized here that rail seat degradation is due to a complex coupling of environmental and mechanical sources. Based on this unique perspective, the proposed research is aimed at developing an advanced poroelastic model and a novel, lab-scale model rail seat experiment in order to elucidate the role of enviro-mechanical coupling. Furthermore, based on the model predictions – validated by the experiments – new concrete mixture design and curing protocols that reduce the risk of damage to the rail seat will be crafted. |
| Keywords | concrete rail ties, rail seat, degradation, deterioration, environmental and mechanical sources, poroelastic model, lab-scale model, concrete mixture, curing protocols |
| Describe Implementation of Research Outcomes (or why not implemented) Place Any Photos Here | Pending Project Completion. |
| Impacts/Benefits of Implementation (actual, not anticipated) | Pending Project Completion. |
| Report | http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/infrastructure/investigation-concrete-tie-degradation.pdf |
| Project Website | http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/investigation-concrete-tie-degradation/index.htm |