Comparison of the Structural Performance of Ballasted and Non-Ballasted Pavement of the Railway with the Help of Beam Models on Elastic Bed and Finite Element Model

Abstract

Today, many countries are opting for ballast less paving of railways using concrete line slabs as an alternative. Ballast paving is particularly prevalent in high-speed lines, urban railways, as well as bridges and tunnels designed for high loads and speeds. The priority lies in ensuring that these lines are paved with proper structural performance, especially considering the mechanics of the line and the choice between ballast pavement and line slabs. This article delves into the structural modeling and analysis process of ballast and slabs for railway lines. Models for both ballast and slab lines under passage have been developed. The study investigates the train wheel load and the impact of bed conditions. Theoretical solutions, including the beam model on an elastic bed for ballast lines and the two-beam model for line slabs, have been presented. Multiple finite element models were explored using ABAQUS software, confirming the accuracy of the theoretical results with acceptable precision. This work establishes a suitable model for calculating the effects of vertical force on the line pavement structure and provides applications for comparing design performance between ballast and slab lines. The results highlight the optimal performance of the modeling and the superiority of the line slabs.