Experimental and numerical investigations into torsional-flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearers
Fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU) composite sleepers and bearers are safety-critical components installed in complex railway switches and crossings. Not only does they need to provide vertical track support, the composite sleepers and bearers must also endure longitudinal and lateral actions st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Nonlinear Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/nleng-2024-0030 |
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| author | Kaewunruen Sakdirat Thomas Joby Johnson Sengsri Pasakorn Qin Xia |
| author_facet | Kaewunruen Sakdirat Thomas Joby Johnson Sengsri Pasakorn Qin Xia |
| author_sort | Kaewunruen Sakdirat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU) composite sleepers and bearers are safety-critical components installed in complex railway switches and crossings. Not only does they need to provide vertical track support, the composite sleepers and bearers must also endure longitudinal and lateral actions stemming from complex wheel and rail interactions. In reality, the railway bearers at crossing noses are susceptible to coupling torsional-flexural loading. The complex non-linear behaviours have never been investigated numerically nor experimentally. It is thus necessary to comprehend torsional-flexural behaviours of FFU composite sleepers and bearers through finite element and experimental approaches. 3D finite element modelling of FFU composite beams have been established to predict the non-linear coupling behaviours. Three specimens of FFU beams have been prepared for robust experiments under each load case. Our studies exhibit excellent agreement between numerical and experimental results. The ductile failure behaviours (post yield point) have been observed from the experiments. Considerable effects of load eccentricity on the flexure–torsion behaviours of the composite members can also be noted. In addition, the load-eccentricity curves have been identified to portray the non-linear behaviour of the railway components under coupling flexural and torsional loadings. The new insights considering their load–displacement relationships, modes of failure and damage, flexural and torsional interactions are the precursors for railway engineers to design and adopt FFU composite sleepers and bearers in practice where complex wheel/rail interface generally causes coupling torsional and vertical loading conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a4795a7d5dc14f89bf65d432fed8708c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2192-8029 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nonlinear Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-a4795a7d5dc14f89bf65d432fed8708c2025-08-20T01:53:30ZengDe GruyterNonlinear Engineering2192-80292024-10-01131510910.1515/nleng-2024-0030Experimental and numerical investigations into torsional-flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearersKaewunruen Sakdirat0Thomas Joby Johnson1Sengsri Pasakorn2Qin Xia3Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, EdgbastonB15 2TT, United KingdomDepartment of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, EdgbastonB15 2TT, United KingdomDepartment of Highways, Ministry of Transport, Si Ayutthaya Road, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok10400, ThailandDepartment of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, EdgbastonB15 2TT, United KingdomFibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU) composite sleepers and bearers are safety-critical components installed in complex railway switches and crossings. Not only does they need to provide vertical track support, the composite sleepers and bearers must also endure longitudinal and lateral actions stemming from complex wheel and rail interactions. In reality, the railway bearers at crossing noses are susceptible to coupling torsional-flexural loading. The complex non-linear behaviours have never been investigated numerically nor experimentally. It is thus necessary to comprehend torsional-flexural behaviours of FFU composite sleepers and bearers through finite element and experimental approaches. 3D finite element modelling of FFU composite beams have been established to predict the non-linear coupling behaviours. Three specimens of FFU beams have been prepared for robust experiments under each load case. Our studies exhibit excellent agreement between numerical and experimental results. The ductile failure behaviours (post yield point) have been observed from the experiments. Considerable effects of load eccentricity on the flexure–torsion behaviours of the composite members can also be noted. In addition, the load-eccentricity curves have been identified to portray the non-linear behaviour of the railway components under coupling flexural and torsional loadings. The new insights considering their load–displacement relationships, modes of failure and damage, flexural and torsional interactions are the precursors for railway engineers to design and adopt FFU composite sleepers and bearers in practice where complex wheel/rail interface generally causes coupling torsional and vertical loading conditions.https://doi.org/10.1515/nleng-2024-0030fibre-reinforced foamed urethanecomposite sleepers and bearersrailway turnoutflexure–torsion interaction curveload eccentricity |
| spellingShingle | Kaewunruen Sakdirat Thomas Joby Johnson Sengsri Pasakorn Qin Xia Experimental and numerical investigations into torsional-flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearers Nonlinear Engineering fibre-reinforced foamed urethane composite sleepers and bearers railway turnout flexure–torsion interaction curve load eccentricity |
| title | Experimental and numerical investigations into torsional-flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearers |
| title_full | Experimental and numerical investigations into torsional-flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearers |
| title_fullStr | Experimental and numerical investigations into torsional-flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental and numerical investigations into torsional-flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearers |
| title_short | Experimental and numerical investigations into torsional-flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearers |
| title_sort | experimental and numerical investigations into torsional flexural behaviours of railway composite sleepers and bearers |
| topic | fibre-reinforced foamed urethane composite sleepers and bearers railway turnout flexure–torsion interaction curve load eccentricity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/nleng-2024-0030 |
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