Discrete Element Method Simulation of Mesomechanics of Railway Ballast during Tamping Process

Abstract:

Railway ballast tamping operations is employed in order to restore the geometry of railway track distorted by train traffics. The selection of tamping parameter is usually dependent on field trials and practical experience, for lack of theoretical basis. This paper creates discrete element analysis model of railway ballast using the discrete element method, the numerical simulations are carried out to study the mesomechanics of railway ballast during tamping process. We focus on the change of railway ballast compactness and stone ballast interaction force during tamping process. The present study can be helpful for the analysis of the internal mechanism of ballast compaction during tamping process.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 690-693)
• Pages: 2726-2729
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.690-693.2726
• Online since: May 2013
• Authors: Tao Yong Zhou, Bin Hu, Bo Yan, Ping Xu
• Keywords: Discrete Element Method (DEM), Mesomechanics, Railway Ballast, Tamping

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