A discrete element study on the deformation and degradation of coal-fouled ballast

Chen, J; Vinod, JS; Indraratna, B; Ngo, NT; Gao, R; Liu, Y

A discrete element study on the deformation and degradation of coal-fouled ballast

Chen, J Vinod, JS Indraratna, B

Ngo, NT Gao, R Liu, Y

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Publisher:: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Acta Geotechnica, 2022, pp. 1-17
Issue Date:: 2022-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Chen, J
dc.contributor.author	Vinod, JS
dc.contributor.author	Indraratna, B https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9057-1514
dc.contributor.author	Ngo, NT
dc.contributor.author	Gao, R
dc.contributor.author	Liu, Y
dc.date.accessioned	2022-02-27T07:57:02Z
dc.date.available	2022-02-27T07:57:02Z
dc.date.issued	2022-01-01
dc.identifier.citation	Acta Geotechnica, 2022, pp. 1-17
dc.identifier.issn	1861-1125
dc.identifier.issn	1861-1133
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/154889
dc.description.abstract	This paper presents the results of Discrete Element Modelling (DEM) which quantitively examine the effect of coal fouling on the deformation and degradation of ballast upon cyclic loading. The degradation model described herein considers the Weibull distribution effects in tandem with a granular medium hardening law that incorporates the maximum contact criterion to capture surface abrasion and corner breakage of angular ballast. The DEM model had been calibrated initially with laboratory data obtained from large-scale direct shear testing. Subsequently, a series of cubical shear test simulations have been carried out using DEM to understand the behaviour of fouled ballast whereby the numerical particle degradation modelling could simulate the experimental response of the ballast assembly at various fouling levels. The results show that the increased level of fouling exacerbates the sleeper settlement, while decreasing the resilient modulus and the particle breakage. Ballast beneath the sleeper experiences significant breakage compared to the crib ballast, and not surprisingly, the extent of damage decreases with depth. Rigorous microscopic analysis is also presented in relation to inter-particle contacts, particle velocity and anisotropy of the ballast assembly. This micromechanical examination highlights that the decrease in ballast breakage for fouled assemblies is predominantly attributed to the inevitable decrease in inter-particle contact pressures as effected by the coating of ballast aggregates by the coal fines.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Springer Science and Business Media LLC
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/IC170100006
dc.relation.ispartof	Acta Geotechnica
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1007/s11440-022-01453-4
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0905 Civil Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Geological & Geomatics Engineering
dc.title	A discrete element study on the deformation and degradation of coal-fouled ballast
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.for	0905 Civil Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-02-27T07:56:55Z
pubs.publication-status	Published

Abstract:

This paper presents the results of Discrete Element Modelling (DEM) which quantitively examine the effect of coal fouling on the deformation and degradation of ballast upon cyclic loading. The degradation model described herein considers the Weibull distribution effects in tandem with a granular medium hardening law that incorporates the maximum contact criterion to capture surface abrasion and corner breakage of angular ballast. The DEM model had been calibrated initially with laboratory data obtained from large-scale direct shear testing. Subsequently, a series of cubical shear test simulations have been carried out using DEM to understand the behaviour of fouled ballast whereby the numerical particle degradation modelling could simulate the experimental response of the ballast assembly at various fouling levels. The results show that the increased level of fouling exacerbates the sleeper settlement, while decreasing the resilient modulus and the particle breakage. Ballast beneath the sleeper experiences significant breakage compared to the crib ballast, and not surprisingly, the extent of damage decreases with depth. Rigorous microscopic analysis is also presented in relation to inter-particle contacts, particle velocity and anisotropy of the ballast assembly. This micromechanical examination highlights that the decrease in ballast breakage for fouled assemblies is predominantly attributed to the inevitable decrease in inter-particle contact pressures as effected by the coating of ballast aggregates by the coal fines.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/154889