Lateral Resistance of New and Relay Red Oak Crossties

摘要

To explore the effect of in-service use, comparative lateral resistance tests were performed on eight red oak crossties--four 24-year-old relay (used) ties and four new ties. One end of each tie was tested individually and the other was tested in a four-tie-group test. The ties were tilted to a 1 in 2 slope and the rail was loaded plumb. Displacements of the rail head and base were recorded as a function of load. Measured wood properties of small specimens from the relay ties were found to be comparable to properties of specimens from the new ties. Only one tie (individual, new) had the spikes bend (into an S shape) during the lateral resistance tests, but the rail base displaced laterally less than 0.5 inch at an applied load of 130,000 pounds.