Numerical Study on the Evolution of Force Chain inside Railway Ballast under Tamping Operation

摘要

The tamping maintenance of railway ballast is employed to restore the geometry of railway track distorted by train traffics. In this paper, based on the analysis of tamping principle, the three dimensional analysis model of railway ballast is created using the discrete element method, numerical simulations are performed to study the micro mechanical behavior of railway ballast under tamping operation. This paper presents the evolution of force chains inside railway ballast under tamping operation. The obtained results are showed that the contact force inside railway ballast is enhanced by tamping, so as to improve the carrying capacity and stability of railway track.