Use of Recycled Rubber Granulates in Railway Subballast for Improved Track Performance

Qi, Y; Indraratna, B; Malisetty, R

Use of Recycled Rubber Granulates in Railway Subballast for Improved Track Performance

Qi, Y

Indraratna, B

Malisetty, R

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Publisher:: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: Geo-Congress 2026, 2026, pp. 598-608
Issue Date:: 2026-03-05

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Qi, Y https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3486-2130
dc.contributor.author	Indraratna, B https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9057-1514
dc.contributor.author	Malisetty, R
dc.date.accessioned	2026-05-20T01:33:29Z
dc.date.available	2026-05-20T01:33:29Z
dc.date.issued	2026-03-05
dc.identifier.citation	Geo-Congress 2026, 2026, pp. 598-608
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195071
dc.description.abstract	As current ballasted tracks are inadequate for supporting Australia’s faster, heavier freight trains, there is an urgent need to develop innovative and sustainable alternatives for transport infrastructure. This paper presents a novel solution for increasing the stability and resiliency of railways by developing a sustainable energy-absorbing subballast layer (SEAL) using recycled tire rubber granulates, steel furnace slag, and coal wash to replace traditional rockfill as subballast. The engineering properties of the track incorporating SEAL were investigated through large-scale laboratory tests (i.e., prototype cubic triaxial tests) and a rheological model. The test results and model simulation confirm that the inclusion of recycled rubber granulates actively increases the efficiency of dissipating energy, decreases ballast breakage, vibrations, and the propagation of dynamic loading within the substructure depth. Also, 10% by weight was found to be the optimal rubber content within SEAL to increase the energy-absorbing capacity of the track foundation and decrease the lateral displacements of the track, while reducing the amount of ballast breakage and maintaining an acceptable settlement.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
dc.relation.ispartof	Geo-Congress 2026
dc.relation.ispartof	Geo-Congress 2026
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1061/9780784486764.059
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Use of Recycled Rubber Granulates in Railway Subballast for Improved Track Performance
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
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
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Transport Research Centre (TRC)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2026-05-20T01:33:28Z
pubs.publication-status	Published

Abstract:

As current ballasted tracks are inadequate for supporting Australia’s faster, heavier freight trains, there is an urgent need to develop innovative and sustainable alternatives for transport infrastructure. This paper presents a novel solution for increasing the stability and resiliency of railways by developing a sustainable energy-absorbing subballast layer (SEAL) using recycled tire rubber granulates, steel furnace slag, and coal wash to replace traditional rockfill as subballast. The engineering properties of the track incorporating SEAL were investigated through large-scale laboratory tests (i.e., prototype cubic triaxial tests) and a rheological model. The test results and model simulation confirm that the inclusion of recycled rubber granulates actively increases the efficiency of dissipating energy, decreases ballast breakage, vibrations, and the propagation of dynamic loading within the substructure depth. Also, 10% by weight was found to be the optimal rubber content within SEAL to increase the energy-absorbing capacity of the track foundation and decrease the lateral displacements of the track, while reducing the amount of ballast breakage and maintaining an acceptable settlement.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195071