• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.647-659
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• 2018

Through extensive research, there exist a new type of connection between railway bridge girders and steel-concrete composite panels. In addition to conventional shear connectors, newly developed blind bolts have been recently adopted for retrofitting. However, the body of knowledge on their influence and application to railway structures has not been thoroughly investigated. This study has thus placed a particular emphasis on the application of blind bolts on the Sydney Harbour Bridge as a feasible alternative constituent of railway track upgrading. Finite element modeling has been used to simulate the behaviours of the precast steel-concrete panels with common types of bolt connection using commercially available package, ABAQUS. The steel-concrete composite track slabs have been designed in accordance with Australian Standards AS5100. These precast steel-concrete panels are then numerically retrofitted by three types of most practical bold connections: head studded shear connector, Ajax blind bolt and Lindapter hollow bolt. The influences of bolt connections on load and stress transfers and structural behaviour of the composite track slabs are highlighted in this paper. The numerical results exhibit that all three bolts can distribute stresses effectively and can be installed on the bridge girder. However, it is also found that Lindapter hollow bolts are superior in minimising structural responses of the composite track slabs to train loading.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.639-642
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• 2003

In this paper, fatigue behavior of concrete slab tracks under railway loads by experimental method is discussed. The addition of steel fibers to concrete mix has been receiving more attention as a way of improving the crack behavior of concrete beams an slabs tacks. This study two objectives: 1) to observe the fatigue behavior of fiber reinforced concrete slab in labor, and 2) to present crack propagation and deflection of fiber reinforced concrete slab track under railway loads in the Waghauser test line. Nine beams, two slabs and one test track were experimentally tested.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.10 no.3 s.40
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• pp.296-305
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• 2007

A numerical method for the analysis of train/slab-track interaction on the settled roadbed is developed based on the already developed analysis method of train/ballast-track interaction. The concrete slabs composed of the upper track concrete layer and the lower hydraulic bonded layer are modelled by a equivalent beam. The supporting stiffness of roadbed is evaluated with the modified boussinesq method suggested by Eisenmann. The track irregularity and the gap between slab and roadbed induced by settlement of roadbed are calculated by the effective method newly presented in this study. The validation of the developed method is investigated by a numerical example. The effects of train speed on train and slab track on the settled roadbed with sinusoidal shape of wave length 20m and amplitude 20mm are reviewed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.537-565
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• 2016

Australian railway networks possess a large amount of aging timber components and need to replace them in excess of 280 thousands $m^3$ per year. The relatively high turnover of timber sleepers (crossties in a plain track), bearers (skeleton ties in a turnout), and transoms (bridge cross beams) is responsible for producing greenhouse gas emissions 6 times greater than an equivalent reinforced concrete counterparts. This paper presents an innovative solution for the replacement of aging timber transoms installed on existing railway bridges along with the incorporation of a continuous walkway platform, which is proven to provide environmental, safety and financial benefits. Recent developments for alternative composite materials to replace timber components in railway infrastructure construction and maintenance demonstrate some compatibility issues with track stiffness as well as structural and geometrical track systems. Structural concrete are generally used for new railway bridges where the comparatively thicker and heavier fixed slab track systems can be accommodated. This study firstly demonstrates a novel and resilient alterative by incorporating steel-concrete composite slab theory and combines the capabilities of being precast and modulated, in order to reduce the depth, weight and required installation time relative to conventional concrete direct-fixation track slab systems. Clear benefits of the new steel-concrete composites are the maintainability and constructability, especially for existing railway bridges (or brown fields). Critical considerations in the design and finite element modelling for performance benchmarking of composite structures and their failure modes are highlighted in this paper, altogether with risks, compatibilities and compliances.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.1659-1663
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• 2011

Precast concrete slab track is a track structure to be installed by transporting and assembling precast concrete slabs manufactured at the factory. This method can improve concrete quality, provide easy maintenance and reduce construction time, compared with in-situ concrete track. However, the concrete slabs being continuously connected in longitudinal direction, due to the temperature change between summer and winter, the openings at slab joints have occurred. Thus, in this study, to identify the cause of this opening of slab joint, the joint opening caused by temperature drop in the longitudinally continuous precast concrete slab track has been predicted using three-dimensional finite element analysis, and compared with field measurements. Based on the proven model, the slab joint opening, and the stress pattern of concrete slab and steel reinforcement according to concrete slab-base friction properties, concrete-reinforcement bond properties, and prestressing were analyzed.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.548-555
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• 1998

The influences of high speed train on the dynamic responses of steel composite railway bridges are investigated. The bridge system which has two Ⅰ-girder and several cross beams is modeled with plate and frame elements. With assumption of concrete slabs ate fully connected with steel girders, the offset between slabs and girders is modeled using rigid link. The track system is modeled using beams on elastic foundation theory. And, the TGV train is modeled in 2-dimension considering bouncing and pitching motion. And, braking action of vehicle is considered using speed dependent braking function. To investigate the behavior of bridges due to moving trains, parametric studies are performed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.113-128
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• 2017

This paper highlights a study undertaken on the free vibration of a precast steel-concrete composite slab panel for track support. The steel-concrete composite slab track is an evolvement from the slab track, a form of ballastless track which is becoming increasingly attractive to asset owners as they seek to reduce lifecycle costs and deal with increasing rail traffic speeds. The slender nature of the slab panel due to its reduced depth of construction makes it susceptible to vibration problems. The aim of the study is driven by the need to address the limited research available to date on the dynamic behaviour of steel-concrete composite slab panels for track support. Free vibration analysis of the track slab has been carried out using ABAQUS. Both eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes have been extracted using the Lanczos method. The fundamental natural frequencies of the slab panel have been identified together with corresponding mode shapes. To investigate the sensitivity of the natural frequencies and mode shapes, parametric studies have been established, considering concrete strength and mass and steel's modulus of elasticity. This study is the world first to observe crossover phenomena that result in the inversion of the natural orders without interaction. It also reveals that replacement of the steel with aluminium or carbon fibre sheeting can only marginally reduce the natural frequencies of the slab panel.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.427-442
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• 2017

This paper presents unprecedented damped oscillation behaviours of a precast steel-concrete composite slab panel for track support. The steel-concrete composite slab track is an innovative slab track, a form of ballastless track which is becoming increasingly attractive to asset owners as they seek to reduce lifecycle costs and deal with increasing rail traffic speeds. The slender nature of the slab panel due to its reduced depth of construction makes it susceptible to vibration problems. The aim of the study is driven by the need to address the limited research available to date on the dynamic behaviour of steel-concrete composite slab panels for track support. Free vibration analysis of the track slab has been carried out using ABAQUS. Both undamped and damped eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes have been extracted using the Lancsoz method. The fundamental natural frequencies of the slab panel have been identified together with corresponding mode shapes. To investigate the sensitivity of the natural frequencies and mode shapes, parametric studies have been established, considering concrete strength and mass and steel's modulus of elasticity. This study is the world first to observe crossover phenomena that result in the inversion of the natural orders without interaction. It also reveals that replacement of the steel with aluminium or carbon fibre sheeting can only marginally reduce the natural frequencies of the slab panel.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.840-845
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• 2008

To develop our original technology of concrete slab track, being widely accepted for new track, prefabricated concrete slab track, or precast concrete slab track has been developed. They have two different types according to slab shape and its dimensions, connection of slabs and connecting structure onto substructure. After the system design and successful performance evaluation in the laboratory, the trial installation on revenue line has been carried out. This paper is presenting the result of the trial installation and the performance tests in field. The performance tests have been performed as visual inspection for cracks and damages, measurement of track alignment and elastic behavior of track under passing trains. The performance test results during last 2 years have shown that no remarkable damages and settlements were found, and track alignment and elastic track behavior both exhibits good status.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.993-997
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• 2011

Highlighted is significance of the floating slab track for mitigating vibrations induced by train, together with the recent trends towards speed-up of railways. In the design of the floating slab track, it is more beneficial to increase the slab length since a significant impact can be induced on the train and track at the discontinuous points between slabs with the finite slab length. However, if the slab length is too long, the tensile stress of slab concrete and the additional stress on rail due to the temperature change and shrinkage of concrete slab. Thus it is of great importance to relevantly determine the slab length. In this study, to understand these phenomena and establish the countermeasures, the dynamic behaviors of train and track at the inter-slab discontinuous points have been explored and the effect of dowel joints as one of countermeasures has been analytically investigated.