Experimental research on fatigue strength of prototype under sleeper pads used in the ballasted rail track systems

Authors:

• Cezary Kraśkiewicz,
• Artur Zbiciak,
• Anna Al Sabouni-Zawadzka,
• Andrzej Michał Piotrowski

Abstract

The present paper discusses static and dynamic characteristics of various under sleeper pads (USP) that are to be used in the ballasted track systems as resilient vibroacoustic isolators. Four different USP samples were put to fatigue tests and static and dynamic bedding moduli were determined. The purpose of the tests, which were carried out up to 500 thousand load cycles, was to determine which USP have favourable and which unfavourable properties, taking into account their potential application as the elements used for energy dissipation and reduction of noise and vibration. The obtained results allowed the authors to indicate samples with a potential for further analysis and to reject those, which did not satisfy the adopted criteria.