Track structure failure caused by sand deposition: Simulation and experimentation

Abstract

Abstract Sand deposition threatens the safe operation of railways. Experimental and numerical analysis of sand deposition on the track structure is conducted. A preventive method by removing part of ballast is proposed and studied. The result shows that as wind speed grows, the sand deposition on the track structure increases at the beginning and decreases later. When the wind speed is between 9 m/s and 20 m/s, the amount of sand deposition is largest. Thus, wind speed can be used as a reference for scheduling maintenance activities of track structure, e.g., sand cleaning. When the volume fraction of sand phase increases from 0.5% to 4%, the sand deposition increases initially and later decreases. By removing the ballast and allowing the wind-sand flow passing through the track structure, the sand deposition on the top of the track structure is reduced. When the ballast between sleepers was completely removed, the largest reduction in the sand deposition was achieved.