Construction of Railway Track Using Asphalt – Ballast Layer

Abstract

The work presented in this paper focuses on new trends in the construction ofrail track using asphalt ballast layer. Model tests were performed with ballast layer150mm or 200mm. These thicknesses are the common range used in railwayconstruction. Overlaying a sandy layer 400mm in thickness. This conditionrepresents a case where rail networks pass through sandy zones.Two series of model tests were performed; the first on untreated ballast and thesecond where the ballast layer was incorporated with inter asphalt layers.A model footing 200mm wide and 400mm long was placed on the surface of theballast layer and loaded monotonically or repeatedly up to failure. Thesedimensions were selected representing the plain strain condition which exists inreal rail networks. The layers treated with asphalt demonstrated substantialimprovement in the load carrying capacity over the untreated layers.