Abstract
This study aimed to determine the abrasion resistance of ultra-high-performance concretes (UHPCs) for railway sleepers. Test samples were made with different cementitious material combinations and varying steel fiber contents and shapes, using conventional fine aggregate. A total of 25 UHPCs and two high-strength concretes (HSCs) were selected to evaluate their depth of wear and bulk properties. The results of the coefficient of variation (CV), relative gain in abrasion, and abrasion index of the studied UHPCs were also obtained and discussed. Furthermore, a comparison was made on the resistance to wear of the selected UHPCs with those of the HSCs typically used for prestressed concrete sleepers. The outcomes of this study revealed that UHPCs displayed excellent resistance against abrasion, well above that of HSCs. Amongst the utilized cementitious material combinations, UHPCs made with silica fume as a partial replacement of cement performed best against abrasion, whereas mixtures containing fly ash showed the highest depth of wear. The addition of steel fibers had a more positive influence on the abrasion resistance than it did on compressive strength of the studied UHPCs.
Highlights
Timber is the most widely used material in producing railway sleepers
The outcomes of this study revealed that ultra-high-performance concretes (UHPCs) displayed excellent resistance against abrasion, well above that of high-strength concretes (HSCs)
The purpose of this study was: (1) to determine the abrasion resistance of selected UHPCs made with different cementitious material combinations, and varying steel fiber contents and shapes; (2) to ascertain the parameters influencing the wear resistance of UHPCs; and (3) to compare the resistance to wear of the studied UHPCs with those of the high-strength concrete (HSC) typically used in the production of railway sleepers
Summary
The USA replaces approximately 14 million timber sleepers [1]. Timber is susceptible to physical and mechanical degradations that lead to early-age replacements. The loading patterns of a new generation of highspeed railway tracks are different from conventional ones. These new types of railway demand additional features from the rail track system in terms of physical, mechanical, and durability aspects, which timber sleepers lack. In this context, prestressed concrete sleepers have become popular for use in high-speed tracks [2]
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