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Elastic Properties of Ballast
Propriétés élastiques des Ballasts
b y E d g a r S c h u l t z e , P ro fesso r D r.-In g .
and
G u n th e r C o e s f e l d , D r.-In g ., T echnische H och sch u le A ach en
Summary
T he values th a t can be used to define the u ltim ate bearing
cap acity o f ballast are still largely un k n o w n in spite o f th e fact
th a t it is so freq u en tly used, m ain ly fo r railw ay c o n stru ctio n
w here the space below the sleepers consists o f the b allast-bedding
an d the subsoil. O nly in a few cases applicable to ro a d co n s­
tru ctio n h a v e th e elastic p ro p e rties o f b allast been m easured by
suitable tests. T hese are n o t sufficient, how ever, to relate the
m odulus o f elasticity w ith grain-size, w ith density a n d w ith the
type o f test em ployed. It has been show n recen tly th a t this m aterial
has a con sid erab le influence on th e deflexion o f the ro a d bed.
Several ty p es o f ballast, w ith a grain-size ran g in g fro m 30 to
65 m m , as recom m ended by the G e rm an F ed eral R ailw ays, have
been tested in o rd e r to estim ate the rules g ov ern in g com pressibility.
C onfined com pression tests have been carried o u t 50 cm
in d iam e te r a n d plate-lo ad in g tests 30 cm in d iam eter on
layers o f b a lla st v ary in g in dep th fro m 20 to 45 cm , a n d having
different densities. T h e pressure applied usually varied fro m zero
to 4 kg per sq.cm . fo r several repeated loads. A m ax im u m pressure
o f 16 k g p e r sq.cm . was used fo r special tests, a n d tria x ial tests
were carried o u t, o n cylindrical sam ple 125 cm long a n d 50 cm
in d ia m e te r; th e late ra l pressu re varied betw een 0-3 a n d 0-9 kg
per sq.cm . Since all tests w ere u n d e rta k e n on rigid base-plates,
the results could be c o m p a red a n d the differences noted. T h e dis­
trib u tio n o f pressure a t the b o tto m -ed g e o f the b allast w as m easu r­
ed du rin g th e plate-lo ad in g tests.
T h e tests c arried o u t this co arse m aterial h ave been sufficient
to derive values fo r com pressibility, elasticity a n d P oisson’s
R a tio in re la tio n to th e density o f the m aterial and to exam ine
the law s o f elasticity applicable to it.
1. Introduction
A railway is supported by longitudinal or transverse slee­
pers resting on an elastic substructure. Only in a few cases
has the m odulus of elasticity of ballast been measured,
mainly on road construction projects, but these are ina­
dequate to reveal the elastic properties depending on its
com position and density.
2. Testing programme
Several types o f ballast recommended by the G erm an
Federal Railw ays have been tested in a laboratory to deter­
mine their com pressibility. Artificial com paction was em­
ployed to give layers of different densities, the pressure applied
ranging from zero to 4 kg per sq. cm. A concrete baseplate
was used so that only the properties of the ballast itself were
tested.
Sommaire
Les caractéristiq u es p e rm e tta n t d ’e x p rim er la d é fo rm a tio n du
b allast sous les charges so n t ju s q u ’à ce jo u r, presque inconnues
m algré ses n o m b reu x em plois s u rto u t dans la co n stru ctio n des
voies de chem in de fer. Le sem i-espace stra tifié se tro u v a n t sous
les trav erses se com pose d u b a lla st et d u sol sous-jacent. Ju s q u ’ici,
ce n ’est q u ’en de rares cas que l’on a déterm in é p a r des essais les
pro p riétés élastiques des ballasts, p rin cip ale m e n t dan s la c o n stru c ­
tion rou tière. Ces essais, c ep e n d an t, ne suffisent pas p o u r calculer
les m odules d ’élasticité en fo n c tio n de la c om position, de la
com pacité et du m ode d ’essai. D es m esures récentes o n t m o n tré
que la com pressibilité de ce m até ria u jo u e u n rôle essentiel dans
les d é fo rm a tio n s totales de l’ensem ble. O n a sy stém atiq u em en t
exam iné plusieurs sortes de b a lla st de g ra n u la rité 30/65 m m recom ­
m andés p a r les chem ins de fer fé d éra u x , sy sté m atiq u em en t e x a ­
m inés en vue de déterm in er la loi de leu r d éfo rm a tio n . O n a
effectué des essais de co m p ressio n œ do m étriq u es de 50 cm de
diam ètre, puis des essais de ch arg e m e n t su r p laq u e de 30 cm de
diam ètre, p o u r une couche d ’é paisseur co m p rise en tre 20 et 45 cm
et différentes com pacités.
Les charges é ta ien t en général, com prises e n tre 0 et 4 k g /cm 2
et le charg em en t fu t répété plu sieu rs fois. D a n s certains cas la
charge a été poussée ju s q u ’à 16 k g /c m 2. O n a effectué des essais
tria x ia u x com plém entaires avec p ressions latérales com prises
en tre 0,3 et 0,9 k g /c m 2 su r des é ch a n tillo n s de 50 cm de d iam ètre
et de 125 cm de h a u te u r. C om m e to u s les essais o n t été effectués
avec des plaques rigides on a p u c o m p a re r les résu ltats o btenus
et m ettre en lum ière les différences dûes a u x différents m odes
d ’essais. P o u r les essais de ch arg e m e n t su r p la q u e la d istrib u tio n
des pressions a été m esurée a u n iv ea u in férieu r de la couche de
ballast.
Les essais réalisés avec des m a té ria u x à grain s grossiers ont
perm is de d éduire des cara cté ristiq u es de com pressibilité et les
m odules d ’élasticité ainsi q u e la c o n sta n te de P oisson, en fonction
de la com pacité et de vérifier les lois de l’élasticité.
3. Types of ballast
The distribution of grain-size (Fig. 1) o f the ballast tested
varies within small limits. C om paction varies between 1-42
and 1-88 tons per cub. m dry bulk density. W hen the porosity
o f the different types of ballast is com puted, this will vary
from 0-53 to 0-37, corresponding to the lowest and highest
com paction respectively, which can be obtained under labo­
ratory conditions.
4. Confined compression tests
Com pression tests were carried o u t on ballast N o 2 and
3. Lateral strain was prevented, the sample was 50 cm
in diam eter and from 20 to 45 cm high. F rom 8 to 15 loads
were applied and released at pressures ranging from zero
up to 4 kg per sq. cm. Com paction was m easured so that
its relationship with com pressibility could be determined.
323
 <
.Ol
100 *

90 •<-
o

80

70

60

50

40 D
Q.
30

20 D
C
I)
10 U
C.
01
0 a.
6 10 20 60 100 200 630
P a rtic le s i z e mm

Fig. 1 G rain-size d istrib u tio n o f test m aterial.

C o u rb es g ra n u lo m étriq u es des b allasts essayés.

H ydraulic p r e s s

lût p r e s s u r e g a u g e

fj&ç^Dial g a u gcjfor se ttle m e n t

p la te
W .
H ydraulic P ressu re % 70 cm
p ress am a n o m e te r S
fra m e

A Dial gauge for

f e / „ compression 7 5 - | | ^ 3 ^ n ^ [ > ^ p Q g n - ] | 10 cm
Guide

' / Measuring device controlled bv strain gau g es.'

S a m p le '////,'/'////// ¡05 cm / / ? / / / 20cm

135 cm ,-T-l
Dense san d

Fig. 2 C o nfined com pression test ; test a p p a ra tu s. F ig. 3 P la te -lo ad in g test ; test ap p ara tu s.
E ssai o ed o m é triq u e ; ap p are il d ’essai. E ssai de charg em en t su r p laq u e ; dispositif o p é rato ire .

324
 5. P late loading tests
Stress p kg ¡cm*
T h e lo a d in g p la te h a d a d ia m e te r o f 30 c m a n d th e te sts
w ere c a rr ie d o u t o n a la y e r o f b a lla s t v a r y in g in th ic k n e ss
fro m 20 to 45 c m , u sin g th e s a m e te s t lo a d s a s f o r th e c o n f­
in e d c o m p re s s io n te s ts . T h e d is tr ib u tio n o f stre ss w as m e a s u re d
a t th e b o tto m e d g e o f th e la y e r o f b a lla s t.

6. T riaxial tests
T r ia x ia l c o m p re s s io n te sts w e re u n d e r ta k e n w ith la te ra l
p re ssu re s ra n g in g fro m 0-3 to 0-9 k g p e r sq . c m , a n d w ith
c y lin d ric a l sa m p le s 50 c m in d ia m e te r a n d 125 c m h ig h . T e s ts
w ere g e n e ra lly c o n tin u e d u n til fa ilu re o f th e sa m p le (F ig . 4).

T essu re
00 m an om eter
Fig. 5 C onfined com pression test ; stress-strain d iag ram ; ini­
D i a l ga u g e
for ve rtic a l tial height ha = 45 cm , bulk den sity y = 1-59 t/m 3,
P ipe of 0/7 - p o ro sity n = 0-47.
m o vem en t p re s su ro
pump Essai o e d o m etriq u e ; d iag ram m e pressio n -d éfo rm atio n ;
é paisseur d 'é ch a n tillo n ha = 45 cm , densité a p p a re n te
Pipe to Y = 1,59 t/m 3, po ro sité n = 0,47.
vacuum
pump
Ring for m ea­
su re m e n t of
h o r iz o n ta l
d efo rm a tio n
S tr e s s p kg cm
S h eet-iro n
cover L
(detachable)

Fig. 4 T ria x ia l com pression test ; test a p p ara tu s.

Essai triax ial ; d isp o sitif opérato ire.

7. Results of confined compression tests and P late loading

tests

S ince th e re s u lts o f th e c o n fin e d c o m p re s s io n te s ts a re

sim ila r to th o s e o f th e p la te -lo a d in g te sts, th e y c a n b e e v a ­
lu a te d to g e th e r. (F ig . 5). T h e re la tiv e s e ttle m e n t is d e riv e d
fro m th e p re s s u re s e ttle m e n t c u rv e s a s a fu n c tio n o f c o m p r e s ­
sive stress.

fro m w ich th e m o d u lu s o f c o m p re s s ib ility

(c o n fin e d c o m p re s s io n te st) :
Fig. 6 P late loading test ; stress-strain diagram .
dz
Essai de ch argem ent su r p laq u e ; diagram m e d u pression-
t = ",l = ~fP = ak p ' ^ tassem ent.

325

Fig. 7 C onfined com pression tests a n d p late loading tests ;
k in fun ctio n to the n u m b er o f reloadings n.
Essais o ed o m étriq u es et essais de c h arg em en t su r
p laques ; k en fon ctio n d u n o m b re des chargem ents n.
---------- C o nfined com pression te st : essai o ed o m etriq u e
-----------P late lo ad in g test : essai de c h arg em en t su r
plaque.
k depends only upon application and release of loading and
n ot upon the stress; it approaches zero. The m odulus of com ­
pressibility increases with pressure o f a linear basis for m ost
types of soil.
The coefficient k varies with the degree o f com paction
(Fig. 8).
Fig. 8 C o nfined co m p ressio n tests a n d p late lo ad in g tests ; a in
function to th e n u m b e r o f relo ad in g s n.
Essais oedo m étriq u es et essais de ch arg e su r plaques ;
a en fo n c tio n de n o m b re des ch arg em en ts n.
The m odulus o f com pressibility ¿s’. =» — assuming a
tnv
constant pressure o f 4 kg per sq. cm can be given as a func­
tion of degree o f com paction (Fig. 9). The value o f this
m odulus for ballast in relation to com paction changes within
considerable limits, even it is m easured after a sufficient degree
o f com paction has been reached and when an adequate
num ber of applications and releases of loading have been
performed.
326
rs, 20000
4
10000
- \i
10 50 io2 5-70^ 70^
Loadings n
Fig. 9 M o d u lu s o f com pressibility E , = — (k g /cm 2) fro m the
mv
confined com pression tests and the p late b earing tests.
M odules de com pression déd u its des essais o ed o m étriq u es
et des essais de ch arg em en t su r plaques.
8. Results of the triaxial tests
The m odulus of com pressibility (E = m odulus) was deter­
mined by the triaxial test as a function o f lateral pressure for
the elastic range. It was calculated for th a t point of the load
settlem ent curve at which the lateral strain is zero.
Com paring the results of three different types o f tests and
considering the stress distribution measurem ents below the
loading-plate, an average value o f 5 was found for P oisson’s
R atio. M easured settlements vary widely, n o t only in single
tests b ut for a series of tests, owing to the grain-size of
the material.
O nly seventeen triaxial tests were carried out on ballast
Nos. 2. an d 3, so th a t definite conclusions could n o t be reached
from this small num ber.
9. Analysis of results
These tests n o t only give the value o f the m odulus of elast­
icity o f the ballast in relation to its degree o f com paction,
b ut they also enable a check to be m ade o f the elasticity values,
so th at the three types of tests can be linked together. If we
regard the m odulus derived from the unconfined com pression
test as E, the m odulus of com pressibility is given by :
F 2 ___ m(,m - 1) _ m(m - 1)
s mv (m + 1) (m — 2) m2 — m — 2
In the case o f a lateral strain, where the ratio between the
horizontal and vertical strain is X, we obtain the following
S tra s s p k g lc m 2
Fig. 10 T riax ial co m p ressio n tests w ith ballast N o . 3.
Essais tria x iau x su r b a lla st N o . 3.
relationship between the m odulus o f com pressibility for a Poisson’s R atio and X0 = 0-25. Results vary for single
partially prevented lateral strain Eb and the m odulus of tests, and by using plate loading-tests values for the m odulus
compressibility E s : of com pressibility will be 35 per cent larger than those obtained
from confined com pression tests. The m odulus of compress­
1 (m - 2X) {m - 1) ibility in the elastic range, determ ined from triaxial tests,
£s mv ~ m2 - m — 2 b agree approxim ately with the values obtained from confined
com pression tests.
The relationship between E b, and the m odulus o f com press­
ibility E is :
10. Conclusion
A fter a large num ber of applications and releases of loading,
the following equation applies,
E b is the m odulus of com pressibility determ ined by the triaxial
test w ithout any sign of failure.
The above equations lead assum ing the critical case of a
com pletely inconfined lateral strain to :
F or certain pressures a constant E , = — can be stated.
X = 0 : Eb = E m
This values o f E s varies w ith the com paction of the ballast
and assuming a com pletely confined lateral strain : which can be expressed either in terms of bulk density or
percentage of voids.
X = X0 = ------- r : E b = E s
u m — 1 0 s
11. Acknowledgment
F o r the plate-loading test, the following equation for the The authors are indebted to M r. H. Becker, cand. ing.,
modulus of com pressibility of the ballast is obtained : M r. A. Collumbi, cand. ing., and M r. H. Heinisch, cand. ing.
d -p -i m2 — 1 who have carried out the tests and contributed to the evalua­
E = — e— m 2e—
' ------ tion of the results.
d = diam eter of loading plate
p = pressure below loading plate References
i = coefficient of settlements depending on d /t and on
Poisson’s ratio m [1] D eutsche B u n d e s b a h n (1954). G leisbettungsstoffe, Tech­
t = height of the layer. nische Lieferbedingungen. T L 91861, A usg. O kt. 1954.
[2] S c h u l t z e (1957). L arge Scale S hear Tests. Proc. 4th Int.
The m odulus E of the ballast can be determ ined equally Conf. Soil Mech. vol. I, p. 193, L o n d o n .
well by confined com pression tests as by plate-loading and [3] C oesfeld (1959). E lastische E igenschaften von S ch o tter bei
ru h e n d er B elastung. D r.-T hesis. Technische Hochschule
triaxial tests, when Poisson’s ratio is known. The latter can Aachen.
also be determ ined by m easuring the stress distribution at [4] C oesfeld (1959). D ie elastischen E igenschaften von S chotter.
the bottom edge o f the layer of ballast with the plate-loading M itteilungen aus dem Institut fü r Verkehrswasserbau,
tests. Grundbau und Bodenmechanik der Technischen Hochschule
An analysis of the above gives an average value of 5 for Aachen, H eft 20 : B a u g ru n d k u rsu s 1959, p. 35.

T able 1 C h aracteristics o f the ex am in ed ballast.

R ésum é des coefficients caractéristiques des ballasts essayés.

Resistance Porosity **
Ballast Specific Fragmen­ Toughness * against
Loosest Densest Remarks
gravity y s tation * Z blows
s* compactness compactness
Nr. Material «0 nd
t/m 3 per cent — — — —

2 B asaltic b allast 3,04 9,6 85 86 0,53 0,41

3 B asaltic ballast 2,98 3,2 105 111 0,50 0,41

4 G la u co n itic q u a rt- (3,00) 11,0 — 83 0,53 0,41 2-3 years used, spoiled
zite b allast w ith q u a rtz ite gravel
a n d lim e stone
5
B asaltic ballast (3,00) — — — 0,52 0,41 20-25 years used
6
* A fter [1],
** L o o sest an d densest state in L a b o ra to ry ; cylinder : d iam eter — 50 cm ,
height = 50 cm.

327