Technology Digests / Parameters Relating to Concrete Tie Condition

TD23-024

December 4, 2023
Authors
  • Stephen Wilk
  • Yin Gao
  • Adam Bankston
  • Dustin Clasby
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Key Findings

  • An analysis of more than one million concrete ties determined that, out of six measured parameters, ballast condition and track roughness have the strongest relationship with the number of cracked concrete ties. However, the data suggests that ballast and geometry are only relevant in certain cases. This indicates that other failure mechanisms not measured or analyzed in this study, along with various other contributing factors, in combination with ballast condition and geometry, can lead to cracked concrete ties.
  • Large datasets provide an unprecedented view of track component condition and the relationships between the parameters. However, physical testing and year-over-year data collections are necessary to solidify definitive relationships between various track condition parameters.

Parameters Relating to Concrete Tie Condition

MxV Rail analyzed more than 1 million concrete ties to determine the relationship between the ties and ballast condition, track geometry, curvature, and fixed assets. From 2020 to 2022, engineers used various track inspection methods to collect data from five subdivisions in the western United States. The goal of the study was to determine which measurable parameters affected concrete tie degradation and the nature of those relationships. A companion publication (TD23-022)1 focuses on concrete tie life. This work was supported by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) under its Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) Program. SUPPORT AND LOADING CONDITIONS FOR CONCRETE TIES Technology Digest TD23-022 showed that concrete tie life varies, and replaced ties (and nearby ties) tend to have shorter lifespans than ties located in track segments that have not yet required tie replacement.1 The proposed reasoning for the shorter lifespan is that ties that require replacing tend to be…