Ballast drainage in Brazilian railway infrastructures. (1st September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paiva, Cassio; Ferreira, Mateus; Ferreira, Adelino
• Is Part Of: Construction & building materials. Volume 92(2015)
• Page Start: 58
• Page End: 63
• Publication Date: 2015-09-01
• Subjects: Railway ballast -- Drainage -- Ballast contamination -- Granulometry -- Permeability; Building materials -- Periodicals; 624.18
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.06.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-0618

Abstract

Highlights: Comparing clean ballast samples with samples contaminated with different volumetric percentages of soil. Analyzing the reduction in permeability of the ballast layer due to the presence of soil through laboratory tests. Analyzing the hydraulic conductivity of the ballast for different contamination rates. Verifying the necessity of ballast cleaning maintenance works. Abstract: The main objective of this research work was to analyze the reduction in permeability of the ballast layer due to the presence of soil through laboratory tests. Granulometry and permeability tests were done comparing clean ballast samples with samples contaminated with 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 40% volumetric percentages of soil. The hydraulic conductivity of the ballast for different contamination rates was also analyzed. Finally, an equation was defined that can be used to predict the hydraulic conductivity for different ballast contamination rates.