A survey of Ballastless track defects in China’s high-speed railway after ten years of service

Abstract A considerable amount of data have been obtained after more than 10 years of operations on China’s high-speed railway ballastless tracks; however, there is still a lack of survey in the operation and maintenance of ballastless tracks. Based on the results of an on-site survey of the service status of China’s high-speed railway ballastless tracks conducted in 2021, the common defects and related treatment measures for four main types of ballastless tracks, namely, CRTS I, CRTS II, CRTS III slab, and CRTS double-block, are systematically summarised in this study. The most critical defects in the diverse types of ballastless tracks are comparatively analysed. In addition, suggestions for ballastless track selection are presented by considering different factors, which will guide the development and construction of ballastless tracks in the future and be vital for improving the safety, comfort, and durability of high-speed railway operations.