Field Investigation into the Dynamic Response of Steel Sleepers

Abstract

This paper will report on a series of a field investigation into the dynamic response of steel sleepers and its effects on the ballast in its vicinity. The results presented were obtained from a series of field data collection with revenue trains which defines the uniqueness of this work. This work was conducted on steel sleepers along a section of tangent track and a section of curved track in Whyalla, South Australia in September 2015. The main aim is to establish a basis for the design requirement of steel sleepers. The instrumentation was installed on rail tracks which had narrow gauge steel sleepers. Measurements were taken for loaded and unloaded trains along those instrumented sections. The interaction between the dynamic response of the steel sleeper and its effects on the ballast compactness in its vicinity will be reported. The effects of the mass of the train on these dynamic responses are also discussed.