Transportation Geotechnics最新文献

{"title":"Field measurements at a road embankment during a winter season in northern Sweden","authors":"Zahra Motamedi,&nbsp;Karina Tommik,&nbsp;Hans Mattsson,&nbsp;Jan Laue,&nbsp;Sven Knutsson","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the thermal regime of road embankments in cold climates during winter is essential for efficient road design and accurate estimation of maintenance frequencies to reduce freeze-induced damage. In response to the challenging climate conditions in northern Sweden, an experimental field setup was designed to assess the thermal impact of culverts and accumulated snow in ditches on the thermal regime of road embankments during a winter season. This study provides detailed information on the experimental setup, highlights potential challenges from installation phase to data acquisition, and addresses measurement errors. Methods to ensure accuracy and obtain reliable data are also presented. Additionally, some of the obtained measurement results are included in this paper. The results show that snow impacts the thermal regime of the embankment from the onset of accumulation in the ditch, when the snow cover is still thin, until it reaches a depth of 65 cm. Beyond this depth, the soil beneath the snow remains almost unfrozen throughout the winter season. Additionally, the temperature distribution measurements within the embankment indicate that freezing progresses faster near the culvert compared to the rest of the embankment. However, once the culvert ends are insulated by snow cover, the frost depth in the soil near the culvert does not increase significantly, while the rest of the road continues to freeze gradually to greater depths throughout the winter season. The measurement results presented in this study provide researchers with a reliable dataset for validating numerical models in related research areas simulating cold-climate conditions. Additionally, these results enhance the understanding of the thermal regime of road embankments in typical cold climates and offer valuable insights for planning road maintenance and construction in such regions. Furthermore, this study provides essential information for researchers aiming to design and optimize experimental measurement setups in similar investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101553"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prediction of rail ballast breakage using a hybrid ML methodology","authors":"Srinivas Alagesan ,&nbsp;Buddhima Indraratna ,&nbsp;Rakesh Sai Malisetty ,&nbsp;Yujie Qi ,&nbsp;Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101555","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101555","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Particle breakage is a key performance indicator to estimate ballast degradation as it severely affects the performance and maintenance of rail tracks. Most constitutive models usually based on continuum mechanics have rarely been able to estimate the rate and intensity of particle degradation under repeated wheel loading. In this regard, this paper presents a novel model for predicting ballast breakage under prolonged cyclic loading using artificial neural networks (ANN) coupled with a genetic algorithm (GA), hence the acronym GA-ANN. For this study, a comprehensive database consisting of 130 experimental datasets on ballast breakage under cyclic loading conditions is used. Unlike most black-box type machine learning (ML) models, this study incorporates a knowledge-guided selection of 9 input parameters encompassing gradation characteristics, particle angularity, the initial physical state of the granular assembly, and the applied stress state. To overcome limitations associated with potential overfitting when using smaller datasets of the Ballast Breakage Index (BBI), this study employs an innovative approach by integrating k-fold cross-validation and regularization with conventional GA-ANN algorithm. The proposed GA-ANN model showed superior performance in predicting BBI at different loading cycles and proved to be 50% more efficient when compared to conventional ANN and other ML techniques. When verified against unseen laboratory and field data, the GA-ANN model yielded an <span><math><msup><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></math></span> between 0.85 and 0.95, thus proving its broader capability. Further, global sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the most significant parameters (cyclic deviatoric stress, number of load cycles and frequency) which warrant more attention during maintenance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101555"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143783093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sensitivity Analysis of Factors that Induce Road Collapses Due to Drainage Pipe Leakage and Traffic Load","authors":"Liting Cao ,&nbsp;Xiangfeng Lv ,&nbsp;Xinyue Li ,&nbsp;Jiacheng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101554","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101554","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>At persent, quantitatively assessing the sensitivity of disaster-causing factors in road collapses remains challenging using conventional methodologies. This study establishes a physical model test system for road collapse to investigate the evolution of cavity buried depth, equivalent diameter, road settlement, soil stress/settlement, and drainage density/flow under various traffic loads. A deep-learning backbone is created that integrates a convolutional neural network (CNN), bidirectional short-term memory (BiLSTM), attention mechanisms, and the Sobol method (CBAS). This model is applied to three functional units, including data generation, settlement prediction, and sensitivity analysis. The findings show that the buried depth of a cavity decreases exponentially over time, whereas the equivalent diameter of the cavity follows a power-law increase. The drainage density and flow demonstrate fluctuating characteristics, whereas the abrupt increase in soil settlement exhibits a “time lag” effect relative to the sudden surge in soil stress. Notably, the buried depth and equivalent diameter of the cavity are highly sensitive to road settlement, whereas the sensitivity of soil settlement to road settlement varies. By contrast, the sensitivities of soil stress, drainage density, and drainage flow to road settlement are relatively weak. The validity of the CNN–BiLSTM–ATTENTION backbone was verified using root mean square error, mean absolute percentage error, and mean absolute percentage error performance metrics. The CBAS’ sensitivity analysis results were validated using the extended Fourier amplitude sensitivity test. The study findings provide valuable insights for monitoring and early warning of road collapses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101554"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the mud pumping phenomena and dynamic characteristics in ballasted track subgrade under multi-stage/multi-frequency train load–wetting coupling","authors":"Guoqing Cai ,&nbsp;Bowen Han ,&nbsp;Xu Yang ,&nbsp;Huaxiong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101545","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101545","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the process of expanding ballasted railway capacity, there is a significant increase in train axle load and speed, which leads to significant mud pumping disease under multi-stage/multi-frequency train load-wetting coupling, and its mechanism is still unclear. Mud pumping model tests from ballasted track subgrades under multi-stage/multi-frequency train load-wetting (MSC-W test/MFC-W test) coupling were conducted. The test results show that in the unsaturated state, the accumulated deformation of MSC-W test is more significant than that of MFC-W test, and the compactness of the subgrade filler is greater without significant particle migration. Under saturated or near saturated conditions, the MSC-W and MFC-W tests produces significant mud pumping by the driving force of dynamic pore water pressure. The amounts of mud pumping, fine particle layer displacement and void contaminant index (VCI) of the MFC-W test are significantly higher than those of the MSC-W test.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101545"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of sub-freezing temperatures on ballast strength: A laboratory study","authors":"Coleman Froehlke,&nbsp;Marcus Dersch,&nbsp;Riley Edwards,&nbsp;Arthur de O. Lima,&nbsp;Erol Tutumluer","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101551","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101551","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ice formation within the ballast layer of railroad track is common in regions that experience consistent temperatures below the freezing point of water. Freely draining ballast cannot retain as much moisture as saturated fouled ballast, which may develop ice-bonded particles depending on the nature of fouling material and moisture present. This paper quantifies and compares the effect of sub-freezing [-17 ± 5°C (0 ± 10°F)] temperatures on ballast strength to non-frozen [21 ± 5°C (70 ± 10°F)] conditions. Ballast specimens were tested in a large-scale direct shear apparatus at gravimetric moisture contents, ranging from 0 % to 12 % of the dry weight of fine material [smaller than 9.5 mm (3/8-in.)], and fouling index (FI) levels ranging from 0 to 40. In non-frozen conditions, addition of moisture and fouling typically reduces the shear strength of ballast, whereas the presence of fouling and absence of moisture typically increases the strength. In a frozen condition, however, the presence of moisture and fouling increased the strength of the ballast due to ice-bonding within the ballast matrix. An increased moisture content yielded higher strengths of moderately and heavily fouled specimens in a nonlinear fashion. Non-fouled samples reduced strength due to less ice-bonding. Interestingly, higher fouling levels nonuniformly changed the strength of the ballast depending upon whether mechanical friction and aggregate interlock or ice-bonding of fine material generated higher strength. Ballast resistance is a key parameter for quantifying the stress state present within the rail, thus requiring accurate assessment of ballast strength in a multitude of environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101551"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic response of ballasted High-Speed Railways: insights from experimental measurements and 3D nonlinear numerical modelling","authors":"José Nuno Varandas ,&nbsp;André Paixão ,&nbsp;Ángel Tijera ,&nbsp;Inés Crespo-Chacón ,&nbsp;José Estaire ,&nbsp;Eduardo Fortunato","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101549","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101549","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High-Speed Railways provide efficient transportation but impose significant dynamic forces on ballasted tracks, accelerating ballast degradation and increasing maintenance demands. This study aims to understand and mitigate these effects by investigating the dynamic behavior of ballasted tracks under high-speed train passages. A field campaign conducted on the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line involved comprehensive instrumentation of the Brihuega railway segment to capture dynamic responses. These data were used to calibrate and validate an advanced three-dimensional numerical model incorporating nonlinear material properties and Coulomb friction interfaces in an innovative approach. The validated model accurately replicated vertical displacements and revealed that elastic deformations are primarily confined to the railpads and ballast layer, with minimal impact on deeper layers. Non-linear Coulomb friction modeling introduced in the ballast/sub-ballast interface enhanced stress transfer simulations, confirming negligible sliding between these two layers. Decreasing railpad stiffness from 100 to 60 kN/mm reduced ballast stresses by 10 % and improved load distribution, promoting longer track service life, while increasing rail displacements and reducing overall track stiffness by 20 %. This study concludes that railpad stiffness optimization can balance track resilience and degradation mitigation, providing a sustainable approach to infrastructure management. The validated numerical model offers a versatile tool for simulating complex track behaviors, enabling predictions of unmeasurable parameters like stress paths in the track bed. Future work should address long-term loading effects and non-uniform track conditions, advancing track design and maintenance strategies for high-speed rail networks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101549"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanical behavior of limestone ballast for heavy haul Brazilian railway lines: Laboratory evaluation","authors":"Guilherme Faria Souza Mussi de Andrade ,&nbsp;Cid Almeida Dieguez ,&nbsp;Bruno Guimarães Delgado ,&nbsp;Bruno Teixeira Lima ,&nbsp;Antonio Carlos Rodrigues Guimarães","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101547","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101547","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Railway ballast is the granular material that supports the sleepers on a conventional railway track and whose mechanical behavior determines the performance and safety conditions of the track. The particles that make up ballast are generally derived from igneous or metamorphic rocks, particularly granite, basalt, gneiss, dolomite, rhyolite, and quartzite. Sedimentary rocks such as limestone are sometimes used but are not recommended. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the mechanical behavior of limestone ballast, specifically its shear strength, permanent deformation and particle breakage, with a view to determining its suitability for use in Brazilian heavy haul railway lines. This paper presents an experimental investigation of limestone aggregate through of monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests performed on full-scale ballast specimens. The monotonic triaxial tests were carried out at three different confining pressures to failure and to critical state, while the long-term cyclic tests (permanent deformation) were carried out in six stress paths compatible with real heavy haul loads, as well as milder and more severe stress levels. The results indicate that the limestone aggregate, despite the high proportion of non-cubic particles, can be satisfactorily used as a ballast material due to the high values of the strength parameters and the long-term deformability behavior, characterized by lower degradation and particle breakage and the tendency to stabilize the permanent deformation when the stress paths compatible with real-life heavy haul loadings were applied.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101547"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143680030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assembly connection joint strengthening approach using geosynthetics for future sustainable prefabricated bridge deck asphalt pavement","authors":"Gang Liu ,&nbsp;Zhendong Qian ,&nbsp;Leilei Chen ,&nbsp;Jun Wan ,&nbsp;Guoyang Lu ,&nbsp;Wisal Ahmed ,&nbsp;Shiu Tong Thomas Ng","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101548","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101548","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To further improve the quality of bridge deck asphalt pavement (BDAP) and advance the level of bridge industrialization, a future sustainable prefabricated BDAP structure system is developed and its corresponding joint strengthening approach using the geosynthetics non-woven geotextile fabric (NWGF) is proposed for its assembly connection. Moreover, direct three-point bending and bending fatigue tests are conducted to evaluate the joint interface crack resistance performance, and the direct shear and pullout tests are implemented to assess interlayer bonding performance of the structure system after utilizing NWGF. Results show that the use of NWGF could effectively delay the joint interface cracking of prefabricated BDAP, significantly enhance the fatigue cracking life of the composite structure, and also be beneficial to improving the fracture toughness of the interlayer bonding. This research provides the joint scheme for assembly connection and corresponding joint strengthening approach, which promises the application of future sustainable prefabricated BDAP.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101548"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143637804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experimental investigation of the heave behaviors of ballastless railways on expansive soil foundations","authors":"Junyi Duan ,&nbsp;Shengji Liang ,&nbsp;Yu Su ,&nbsp;Yuliang Lin ,&nbsp;Weiping Liu ,&nbsp;Gang Wang ,&nbsp;Li Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ballastless railways constructed on expansive soils are susceptible to swelling-shrinkage deformation caused by variations in soil moisture, which poses a safety risk for train operations. However, limited investigation on integrated ballastless railway systems in previous studies has hindered the understanding of the heave performance of such railway systems. In this study, a comprehensive testing system at a 1:2 scale for a double-line ballastless railway was developed, encompassing the track slab, subgrade, and expansive soil foundation. A water immersion test was conducted to investigate the influence of foundation swelling on the heave response of the ballastless railway. The results revealed that the heave exhibited a transverse distribution resembling a groove shape, leading to noticeable tilting of the track slab, with a maximum angle of 0.34°, which far exceeded its allowable value. Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention not only to heave but also to track slab inclination when assessing the safety risks of ballastless railways. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms related to railway heave attenuation and track slab inclination were discussed. During testing, the bulging of steel baffles on the test box induced lateral deformation within the foundation, reducing the swelling pressure and altering the rate of heave growth. By comparing the heave curves with and without the deformation release effect (DRE) defined in this study, it was observed that the DRE significantly mitigated both the heave and inclination of the track slab, with reductions of 18.1% and 26.3%, respectively. Therefore, uniformly distributing reduced-swelling holes within foundations is recommended as a potential measure for alleviating deformation issues associated with ballastless railways on expansive soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"52 ","pages":"Article 101544"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143637766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scour depth prediction around bridge piers of various geometries using advanced machine learning and data augmentation techniques","authors":"El Mehdi El Gana,&nbsp;Abdessalam Ouallali,&nbsp;Abdeslam Taleb","doi":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trgeo.2025.101537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scour around bridge piers is a major concern for structural safety, yet traditional estimation methods often lack accuracy. This study explores advanced machine learning models to improve scour depth prediction for various pier shapes. We compare three models: Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and a Genetic Algorithm-optimized Multilayer Perceptron (GA-MLP). A comprehensive dataset, enhanced through data augmentation, was used to train the models. This dataset covers diverse flow conditions, pier geometries, and sediment characteristics. the results demonstrate that Random Forest (RF) achieved the highest predictive accuracy, with a Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 0.018, a Coefficient of Determination (R²) of 0.90, and a Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE) of 0.84 on the test dataset.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56013,"journal":{"name":"Transportation Geotechnics","volume":"51 ","pages":"Article 101537"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}