Improvement of the critical speed in high-speed ballasted railway tracks with stone columns: A numerical study on critical length

Abstract

The pressure to achieve a higher speed of train operation has increased in the last few years due to the development of high-speed railway lines. In the presence of soft soils, this speed increase is not possible without undertaking soil improvement measures, since the critical speed is lower than the desired speed of train operation. One of the most widely used soil improvement techniques is that of stone columns. In relation to these is the concept of critical length which, up to now, has only been studied for static cases. This research focuses, for the first time, on the enhancement of the critical speed in high-speed railways with stone columns and with special reference to critical length. Moreover, others parameters such as: maximum rail displacement and Dynamic Amplification Factor (DAF) are also studied. Analysing three profiles of ground representative of soft soils, it can be observed how the effect of the stone columns on critical speed is relevant, showing that critical length is different with respect to the three parameters above, the most restrictive one being that which corresponds to the critical speed. The influence of other parameters on the critical length and on the effectiveness of stone columns, such as the area replacement ratio, the dynamic pressure bulb and the existing soil stiffness is analysed and discussed.