Numerical study on the effect of rigid inclusions on existing railroads

Railroad track problems have been exacerbated by the continuous increase in freight loads and train traffic. The need to implement soil improvement technique in a relatively short window-time (ie, to minimize train-traffic disruption) is a key aspect to be considered when adopting a convenient remedial solution to control settlements in railroads constructed on problematic subgrades. Rigid inclusions are selected in this paper because they are reliable solutions relatively easy to implement. Furthermore, they can be used in different ground conditions and are suitable for short construction times (eg, do not require a curing time, as in grouting methods). Typical (analytical) methods for the design of rigid inclusions are adopted in this paper to define an optimal distribution of piles for the case of existing railroads. The selected layout is then analyzed in detail by means of a 3-D dynamic finite element simulator using both, elastoplastic and elastic models. The performance of rigid inclusions is studied considering different operational scenarios, with dynamic and static loads, as well as involving subgrades with different plasticity index values. It is found that the predictions from the analytical design methods for rigid inclusion tend to be unconservative when compared against the finite element results. As for the numerical solutions, the most unfavorable stress condition is associated with the dynamic elastoplastic finite element solution. It is estimated that the rigid inclusions will contribute to a reduction in the ground settlements of around 15% to 20%, depending on the subgrade plasticity index.