• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.1029-1037
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• 2008

As for track maintenance, Seoul Metro executes track bed improvement project from obsolete ballast track bed to concrete track bed in order to achieve maintenance free and to extend its LCC(Life Cycle Costing). When it comes to obsolete ballast track bed withdrawal task, now it is done solely relying on man power and ballast inhalation vehicle. In this paper, I suggested ballast cleaning system with lighter equipment to change manpower withdrawal tasks to mechanized ones. It is expected to improve work efficiency and economic benefits by applying track excavator having variable wheels and container etc, which is able to keep on the site.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.563-570
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• 2018

Ballast layer has an important role in vertical stiffness and stability of railway track. In most of the Middle East countries and some of the Asian ones, significant parts of railway lines pass through desert areas where the track (particularly ballast layer) is contaminated with sands. Despite considerable number of derailments reported in the sand contaminated tracks, there is a lack of sufficient studies on the influences of sand contamination on the ballast vertical stiffness as the main indicator of track stability. Addressing this limitation, the effects of sand contamination on the mechanical behavior of ballast were experimentally investigated. For this purpose, laboratory tests (plate load test) on ballast samples with different levels of sand contamination were carried out. The results obtained were analyzed leading to derive mathematical expressions for the strain modulus ($E_V$) as a function of the ballast level of contamination. The $E_V$ was used as an index for evaluation of the load-deformation characteristics and bearing capacity of track substructure. The critical limit of sand contamination, after which the $E_V$ of the ballast reduces drastically, was obtained. It was shown that the obtained research results improve the current track maintenance approach by providing key guides for the optimization of ballast maintenance planning (the timing of ballast cleaning or renewal).

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.974-979
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• 2004

Recently, the development of paved track is required as a Low-maintenance of conventional line. The most important factor of paved track is stability and applicability. In this method, the ballast is grouted with mortar so that the ballast can turn into a structure like slab. This method can be subdivided into the followings. One is the method with switching the ballast, and the other is without switching the ballast. The ordinary and actual states of the ballast and roadbed were investigated to evaluate the applicability of the paved track structure in this study, and various In-situ tests were applied. Non-destructive tests such as GPR, SASW, FWD were used, and bearing capacity of roadbed, depth of the ballast, and deterioration, penetration, and contamination of the ballast were focused. The result of this investigation was utilized in the selection of optimal paved track structure and data for preliminary design.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.61-69
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• 1999

The durability of ballast plays an important role in track behaviour. To estimate the deterioration characteristics of ballast, several tests have been carried out by several scholars. The deterioration characteristics is very important factor in the behaviour of track and its life. In this paper, abrasion/breakage characteristics of ballast is studied to see the effect of physical ballast characteristics on ballast life. To reveal breakage characteristics of ballast, the ballast box test and the MTT field test were carried out. The breakage characteristics studied in this paper is applied to the ballast life prediction in various conditions, such as LA abrasion, annual tonnage, tamping number per year, etc

• International Journal of Railway
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.59-63
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• 2013

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effectiveness of geogrid for conventional ballasted track and asphalt concrete underlayment track using PLAXIS finite element program. Geogrid element was modeled at various locations that include subballast/subgrade, subballast/ballast interfaces, middle of the ballast, and one-third depth of the ballast. The results revealed that the effectiveness of geogrid reinforcement appeared to be larger for ballasted track structure compared to asphalt concrete underlayment track. Particularly, in case of installing geogrid at one-third depth of ballast layer in a conventional ballasted track, the most effectiveness of geogrid reinforcement was achieved. The influence of geogrid axial stiffness on track substructure response was not clear to conclude. Further validations using a discrete element method along with experimental investigation are considered as a future study. The effect of asphalt concrete layer modulus was evaluated. The results exhibited that higher layer modulus seems to be effective in controlling displacement and strain of track substructure. However it also yields slightly higher stresses within track substructure. It infers that further validations are required to come up with optimum asphalt concrete mixture design to meet economical and functional criteria.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.195-220
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• 2017

Nowadays, railway system plays a significant role in transportation, conveying cargo, passengers, minerals, grains, and so forth. Railway ballasted track is a conventional railway track as can be seen all over the world. Ballast, located underneath the sleepers, is the most important elements on ballasted track, which has many functions and requires routine maintenance. Ballast needs to be maintained frequently to prevent rail buckling, settlement, misalignment so that ballast has to be modelled accurately. Continuum model was introduced to model granular material and was extended in ballast. However, ballast is a heterogeneous material with highly nonlinear behaviour. Hence, ballast could not be modelled accurately in continuum model due to the discontinuities nature and material degradation of ballast. Discrete element modelling (DEM) is proposed as an alternative approach that provides insight into constitutive model, realistic particle, and contact algorithm between each particle. DEM has been studied in many recent decades. However, there are limitations due to the high computational time and memory consumption, which cause the lack of using in high range. This paper presents a review of recent ballast modelling with benefits and drawbacks. Ballast particles are illustrated either circular, circular crump, spherical, spherical crump, super-quadric, polygonal and polyhedral. Moreover, the gaps and limitations of previous studies are also summarized. The outcome of this study will help the understanding into different ballast modelling and particle. The insight information can be used to improve ballast modelling and monitoring for condition-based track maintenance.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.961-966
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• 2004

Lateral ballast resistance is one of track components that causes much effects in track buckling. Ballast work or tie renewal if is done the ballast original lateral resistance lose. Reduction of lateral ballast resistance may significantly reduce the stability of track. Lateral ballast resistance that is decreased by these work increases slowly according to the increase of train passing tonnage. We measured the ballast lateral resistance in Okchon station neighborhood in Seoul-Busan line to grasp fluctuation phenomenon of ballast resistance by ballast class-2 work. The rate of decrease of ballast lateral resistance shortly after ballast work and the rate of increase by increase of train passing tonnage were investigated.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.498-503
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• 2005

In this paper, an experimental study is carried out to analyze the vibration characteristics of components of the ballast track and the slab track layed in HSL tunnels. According to vibration level test of ballast tracks and concrete tracks on HSL, the vertical vibration level of rails on concrete tracks is 6.2dB more than that on ballast tracks, and especially on $50{\sim}80Hz$ frequency band, the difference is more than 6dB. The orther track components according to track type are appeared to be smaller on the slab track than on the ballast track. Regarding car body vibration, 80Hz component, which was not remarkable while running on open tracks, is considerably amplified in tunnels where concrete tracks are laid.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.6D
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• pp.867-874
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• 2011

The ballast abrasion occurs on the ballasted track upon bridges more than soil roadbed because the track vibration occurs a lot in the ballasted track upon bridges due to girder vibration when a train's weight is loaded onto track even though the identical ballast is used. The phenomena of mud pumping especially, which occurs when drainage is not properly secured for heavy rain, leads to the increase of maintenance work load and the decline of ride comfort. The ballast thickness range in domestic railroad construction rule is uniformly set up according to the design speed of railroad and passing tonnage of train without considering field conditions which is considered in foreign railroad companies. The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of vibration decrease by measuring the acceleration, displacement and ride comfort of ballasted track with the change of ballast thickness on the ballast tracked bridges and to suggest the optimal height of ballast on the Yocheon Bridge built for the test in Honam Line.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.169-173
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• 2003

Transportation by railroad is superior to other transport in a mass transport, stability, rapid transit, delightfulness and low-pollution etc. But, it need to ensure a track stability that supports the train-load for high-speed in transportation by railroad. Ballast resistance force resists against the buckling of track taking a rail-tie's place. So, it plays an important role in a careful train-service. So, in this papers, we forced on measuring and theorizing about the Ballast Resistance Force that play a key role in track stability and high-speed. And we studied the mechanical property. Finally, we suggested the method of securing Ballast Resistance Force and the report for a careful train-service in high-speed.