The proportional strain loading test is a prevalent method for investigation diffuse instability. The majority of current research concentrates on narrowly graded materials, with relatively less focus on binary mixtures under proportional strain loading. Therefore, a series of numerical tests have been conducted using the discrete element method to study the influence of fine content and strain increment ratio on the binary mixtures. The test results show that the fine content of binary mixtures is intimately connected to the critical strain increment ratio which precipitate a transition from stability to instability. Binary mixtures characterized by a low stress ratio at the onset of instability also demonstrate a heightened sensitivity to shifts in strain increment ratio. The macroscopic responses, such as the stress ratio at the onset of instability, shear strength, and pore water pressure, exhibit different trends of variation with the fine content compared to microscopic responses, including coordination number, friction mobilization index, and the proportion of sliding contacts. Furthermore, the anisotropy coefficient is introduced to dissect the sources of anisotropy at onset of instability, revealing that strong contact fabric anisotropy can mirror the evolution of the stress ratio. The stress ratio at onset of instability is predominantly influenced by anisotropy in contact normal and normal contact force.
Research on the evolutionary behavior of the particle breakage processes in coarse-grained soil under the action of train load is of practical significance for subgrade construction and maintenance. However, existing studies have not addressed the prediction of particle size distribution evolution. In this paper, the MTS loading system is used to simulate the dynamic train load effect on coarse-grained soil fillers. The study analyzes the influence of dynamic stress amplitude, loading frequency, and vibration times on both the macro-characteristics and micro-characteristics of particle breakage. The characteristics of particle fragmentation in coarse soil filler under high-speed train load are elucidated. Furthermore, a predictive model for the evolution of particle size distribution curves in relation to particle content and relative particle size is established using the ZHU continuous grading curve equation. This model captures the evolution process of particle breakage characteristics in coarse-grained soil fillers subjected to high-speed train loads. The applicability of this model has been verified. Based on the grading prediction model, an integral expression for the breakage rate index is derived, and the evolution characteristics of particle breakage in coarse-grained soil fillers under the action of train load are analyzed. The results indicate that during filling, the particle breakage mode of coarse-grained soil fillers during filling is primarily characterized by fracture and fragmentation; conversely, under dynamic cyclic loading conditions, it is predominantly characterized by fracture and grinding. The breakage rate aligns with the measured results, suggesting that the breakage rate index established in this study can effectively describe the evolution process of particle breakage in railway subgrade coarse-grained soil. After the reaching one million loading cycles, both deformation and particle breakage degree in coarse-grained soil fillers tend to stabilize. Under the action of dynamic stress amplitudes ranging from 10 to 200 kPa and loading frequencies between 2 and 12 Hz, the particle breakage index stabilizes below 1.1%. These research findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolutionary processes affecting engineering characteristics of railway subgrade coarse-grained soils and provide a theoretical as well as experimental foundation for railway subgrade construction and maintenance.
Collapsible loess has special sensitivity to water, and its engineering mechanical properties deteriorate significantly after immersion in water, causing the foundation to sink, which seriously threatens the safety and stability of the high-speed railway subgrade under train vibration loading. Studying this effect is essential to prevent and control the disasters of high-speed railway subgrades. In this study, a model with the function of simulating foundation settlement is established to conduct disaster testing of high railway subgrade under train vibration loading. The results indicate that when different foundation shapes are settled, the surface of the subgrade under static load is gradually settled in a short time, and the settlement value of the track surface is lower than that of the corresponding subgrade surface. Under train vibration load, the maximum dynamic settlement occurs at the middle of the subgrade slope, which is smaller than the corresponding settlement under static load. The number of stabilization times required from different monitoring positions on the subgrade surface is different under different excitation forces, and the number of stabilization times required is more in the middle of the subgrade slope and the slope shoulder. The influence of train speed on subgrade has a critical respond speed that increases with increasing vibration times. There are horizontal, vertical and 45 degrees angle cracks in the middle of subgrade slope. It is qualitatively assessed that the slope of the high-speed railway subgrade in the collapsible loess area is unstable under the effect of train load. The data and rules provided in this document provide some reference values for the construction of a high-speed railway in the collapsible loess area.
This article presents a series of cyclic triaxial tests to investigate the particle breakage characteristics of coarse-grained filler under heavy-haul train load. The results show that the main patterns of particle breakage for large-sized particles (the particle size between 22.4 and 31.5 mm) are fracture and abrasion, and the particle breakage makes the outer contour of the particle closer to the sphere. The particle breakage is found in the process of vibratory compaction of specimens, and the particle breakage caused by isotropic consolidation under low confining pressure (no more than 300 kPa) can be ignored. It is also found that significant particle breakage occurs during cyclic loading, characterized by the reduction of the large-sized particles (the particle size between 16 and 31.5 mm) and the increase of fines content. In addition, further particle breakage is caused by the increase in the cyclic stress ratio. Based on the test results, a power function equation of Marsal's breakage factors and cyclic stress ratio is proposed.
Metro tunnels often experience uneven settlement of the soil beneath them during operation, a problem that is especially pronounced in soft soil layers such as silt. This uneven settlement negatively affects the operational safety of subways, prompting engineers to use soil reinforcement techniques to mitigate ground deformation. However, there is a lack of research on the cumulative deformation of reinforced soils under cyclic train loading. In this study, dynamic triaxial tests were conducted to obtain the deformation parameters of silty reinforced soils under cyclic loading. The principal dynamic relationship was summarized, and the effect of loading frequency on soil deformation was analyzed. The results indicated that as the loading frequency increased, the cumulative deformation of the soil decreased. Using the dynamic constitutive relationship derived from the tests, the finite element method was employed to model the interaction system between the load, tunnel, and strata, as well as the dynamic modulus attenuation behavior of the reinforced soil layer. This approach was used to investigate the cumulative deformation characteristics of reinforced soils under cyclic loading. The findings indicated that the dynamic modulus of the reinforced soil decayed rapidly at the beginning of the loading period, leading to an accelerated increase in the cumulative deformation. Additionally, the cumulative deformation was measured at different train speeds, revealing that when the speeds exceeded 80 km/h, the cumulative strain of the soil increased gradually with speed.
In order to study the dynamic response of high-speed railway bridge and its deformation law under the coupling effect of vibration load and shield tunneling, a coupling model of shield tunneling and train load is established based on the actual case of tunneling under an adjacent bridge. The deformation characteristics and dynamic response of the bridge are investigated by analyzing the deformation under different tunneling conditions and train running speeds. The results show that the maximum disturbance of the original stress field around the bridge is caused when the shield penetrates to the near side of the bridge structure, at which time, the damping effect of the ground and bridge system on the vibration load is weakened, thus intensifying the dynamic response of the bridge system, and the additional deformation caused by the vibration load is the largest; the presence of train loads during the shield excavation slightly attenuates the differential settlement of the bridge, but increases the cumulative settlement of the bridge, in addition, the additional deformation of the bridge will increase with the increase of the train running speed; the additional deformation caused by the train load within 2m of the shield crossing on both sides of the bridge is large, so the construction should be avoided as much as possible when the train is running in this construction section.
Studying train-induced response characteristics is essential for safely operating permafrost railway subgrades. A three-dimensional thermal-mechanical coupling nonlinear dynamic model of train-track-subgrade-ground relationships was established to analyse the train-induced dynamic stress, acceleration and stress path characteristics of a permafrost railway subgrade, and field monitoring data were used to verify this model. The differences between the 2D and 3D models are also discussed, along with the seasonal changes, train speed, axle load, and train type affecting permafrost subgrades. The main results are as follows. First, the vibration load significantly impacts the subgrade 6 m below the sleeper, producing distinct vertical dynamic stress waves due to the wheels and bogies. Dynamic compression stress dominates the subgrade and is influenced by the train structure, speed, and sleeper spacing. While the 2D model tends to underestimate the dynamic stress in shallower layers, it concurs with the 3D model in deeper subgrade dynamics within a 10% margin of error. Then, the principal stress axis of the subgrade soil rotates synchronously with train movements, exhibiting regular stress paths in the YZ plane (longitudinal section) with depth-dependent variations in the stress cycles and deviatoric stress. Finally, predominantly originating from sleeper-induced vibrations, the subgrade vibration acceleration varies with the train speed, sleeper spacing, and season and is most pronounced in the vertical direction. This study provides theoretical guidance for the vibration response of permafrost subgrades on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR).
Visual inspection and hammering tests are the standard methods for inspecting shield tunnels. They can provide a comprehensive judgment based on the engineer's past experience and conditions, such as cracking, water leakage, and structural details. However, one problem with this method is that the inspection results are highly dependent on the skills of the inspector. To overcome this limitation, it is necessary to develop an easy and quantitative inspection method for shield tunnels. The influence line (IL), which is the response at a specific point due to a unit load that is moved along the target structure, can be used for evaluating the soundness of the infrastructure. Therefore, in this study, we propose a method for determining the IL that can be applied when the speed of a passing train changes. The IL is determined by measuring the displacement due to the train load using a MEMS accelerometer. Finally, to verify the validity of the determined IL, a finite element analysis is performed. Good agreement is found between the ILs determined experimentally and analytically when the soil spring constant is 18 times higher than the nominal value, with a correlation coefficient of 0.98.