Strengthening Technology of Existing Infrastructure under 30 Ton Axle Load Hopper Car in Shuohuang Railway

摘要

ShuoHuang Railway (SHR) operates a high tonnage (>200 MGT/year) coal corridor with max axle load 25 ton freight truck and max traction mass 11600 ton, 41% of SHR in the mountainous areas with min. radius of curve 400 m and max gradient 12‰. In 2011, SHR made a strategic decision to increase capacity by upgrading axle load to 30 ton and operating more 10,000 ton and 20,000 ton long haul trains. The existing infrastructure in SHR was designed and constructed under 25 ton axle load according to China heavy track class, and it faced a great challenge in increasing axle loads to 30 ton, so SHR started a systematic study on strengthening technology on infrastructure in a joint effort with research and test institutions. By testing the service state of infrastructure, the project analyzed the adaptability of all kinds of bridge, culvert, track, and parts, tunnel, and subgrade under 30 ton axle load hopper car and long haul train, and based on it, proposed a series of strengthening measures of infrastructure. All of the measures have been practical in SHR's revenue line. Heavy haul train running test with 30 ton axle load and 23,000 ton traction weight was conducted in September 2015, the infrastructures gained obviously larger load capacity after strengthened and the dynamic responses decreased sharply. The service life of infrastructures can be prolonged effectively.