Abstract
Rail seat deterioration (RSD) refers to the degradation of concrete material at the contact interface between the concrete crosstie rail seat and the rail pad that protects the bearing area of the crosstie, which supports the rail. Abrasion is a viable mechanism that causes RSD. The objective of this study is to investigate the abrasion resistance of several approaches, such as the addition of mineral admixtures, fibers, and varying curing conditions, to mitigate abrasion of the rail seat. In order to achieve this objective, the abrasion mechanism of RSD was simulated using the small-scale test for abrasion resistance, which was designed by researchers at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The results of this study show that the addition of optimal amounts of silica fume, fly ash, steel fibers, as well as increased moisture availability while curing improves the abrasion resistance of concrete.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 521-534 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Materials Performance and Characterization |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 12 2017 |
Keywords
- Abrasion resistance
- Abrasion test
- Admixture
- Crosstie
- Curing
- Fiber-reinforced concrete
- Fly ash
- Mixture design
- Rail seat
- Silica fume
- Sleeper
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ceramics and Composites
- Mechanics of Materials
- Polymers and Plastics
- Metals and Alloys