Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 1

Mechanistic Design of Concrete Monoblock

Crossties for Rail Transit Loading Conditions

APTA Rail Conference

Salt Lake City, UT
23 June, 2015
Matthew V. Csenge, Xiao Lin, Henry E. Wolf, Marcus S. Dersch, and J. Riley Edwards
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 2

Mechanistic Design of Concrete Monoblock

Crossties for Rail Transit Loading Conditions

2015 APTA Rail Conference

Salt Lake City, UT
23 June 2015
Matthew V. Csenge, Xiao Lin, Henry E. Wolf, Marcus S. Dersch,
J. Riley Edwards and Christopher P.L. Barkan
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 3

Outline
• Background and Motivation
• Project Introduction
– Mission and Objectives
– Methods and Technologies
– Industry Partners and Potential Field
Experimentation Locations
• Introduction to Mechanistic Design
• Load Environment
• Transit Focused Concrete Crosstie
Flexural Analysis
• Future Work
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 4

Project Mission and Objectives

• Mission:
– Characterize the desired performance requirements for
concrete crossties and fastening systems for rail transit
– Quantify the behavior of these systems under load
– Develop resilient infrastructure component design solutions
for concrete crossties and fastening systems for rail transit
• Objectives:
– Investigate field performance demands on concrete crossties
and fastening systems for rail transit applications
– Develop an analytical finite element model
– Validate analytical model and further field research through
lab experimentation
– Develop mechanistic design recommendations for rail transit
applications of concrete crossties and fastening systems
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 5

FTA Project Industry Partners

• American Public Transportation
Association (APTA)
• MTA New York City Transit
(NYCT)
• MetroLink
• Metra
• TriMet
• CXT Concrete Ties, Inc.
• GIC
• Pandrol USA
• Amsted RPS
• Hanson Professional Services, Inc.
• Amtrak
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 6

Laboratory Experimentation
• RailTEC’s Track Loading
System (TLS) will be
used to simulate field
loading conditions in the
laboratory
• The TLS can apply up to
55 kips vertically at each
journal, and simulate L/V
ratios up to 0.6
• Most field instrumentation
setups can be replicated
in the laboratory
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 7

Methods and Instrumentation Technologies

• Instrumentation used in field and lab experimentation
will include:
– Potentiometers – displacement
– Weldable strain gauges –
rail seat loads
– Matrix-based tactile surface sensors –
pressure distribution at rail seat
– Lateral load evaluation devices – lateral load at
fastening system shoulder
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 8

Field and Laboratory

Experimentation Locations

Light rail: TriMet (Portland, OR)

MetroLink (St. Louis, MO)
Heavy rail: New York City Transit (New York, NY)
Commuter rail: Metra (Chicago, IL)
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 9

Introduction to Mechanistic Design

• Design approach utilizing forces measured in track structure and
properties of materials that will withstand or transfer them
• Uses responses (e.g. contact pressure, relative displacement) to
optimize component geometry and materials requirements
• Based on measured and predicted response to load inputs that
can be supplemented with practical experience
• Requires thorough understanding of load path and distribution
• Allows load factors to be used to include variability due to
location and traffic composition
• Used in other engineering industries (e.g. pavement design,
structural steel design, geotechnical)

Define Load Define Component System

Inputs Design Criteria Design Verification
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 10

Load Characterization
• Load magnitude will vary according to:
– Traffic type
– Train speed
– Track geometry
– Vehicle and track health
• Each component of the input load must be considered
– Vertical
– Lateral
– Longitudinal
• A complete understanding of the input loads can lead to optimized
component and system designs
– As load magnitude and frequency change, the optimal design of
the crosstie and fastening system may change

Define Load Define Component System

Inputs Design Criteria Design Verification
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 11

Rail Transit Load Environment

• Understanding of transit load environment is a
necessary first step for this project
• Internet resources were used to preliminarily quantify
vehicle weights throughout the United States
• Field experimentation will later be used to further
define load environment
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 12

Passenger Vehicle Weight Definitions

• PB Light Rail Design Handbook defines:
– AW0: Empty vehicle operating weight
– AW1 (Seated Load)
• Fully seated passenger load + AW0
– AW2 (Design Load)
• Standing passengers at 4/m2 + AW1
– AW3
AW3 (Crush Load) Passenger Capacity
= Maximum
× Average
• Standing Passenger
passengers at 6/m2 Weight
+ AW1 + AW0
– AW4 (Structural Design Load)
• Standing passengers at 8/m2 + AW1
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 13

AW3 Vehicle Weight Calculation

• Passenger car quantity and
capacity
• National Transit Database
(NTD)
Revenue Vehicle Inventory
– Number of active
vehicles
– Seating and
standing capacity
• Empty Car Weight
– Manufacturer
data sheets
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 14

AW3 Vehicle Weight Calculation (cont.)

• Average passenger weight:
– Light Rail Design Handbook specifies 155 lbs
– FAA specifies 195 lbs
• Considers the increase in average weight
• Includes clothing and luggage such as backpacks

Flight Standards Service. 2005. Aircraft Weight and Balance Control. Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC.
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 15

Light Rail, Heavy Rail, and Commuter Rail

Vehicle Weight Distribution
100%
Light Rail AW0
90% Light Rail AW3
80% Heavy Rail AW0
Heavy Rail AW3
70%
Percent Exceeding

Commuter Rail AW0

60% Commuter Rail AW3

50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0 50 100 150 200 250
Weight (kips)
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 16

Light Rail, Heavy Rail, and Commuter Rail

Axle Load Distribution
100%
Light Rail AW0
90% Light Rail AW3
80% Heavy Rail AW0
Heavy Rail AW3
70%
Percent Exceeding

Commuter Rail AW0

60% Commuter Rail AW3

50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Axle Load (kips)
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 17

Application: Flexural Design of Crossties

Critical Regions for Flexure

Center Negative (C-)

Rail Seat Positive (RS+)

Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 18

Flexural Analysis – MRS+ - AREMA 2014

𝑀𝑅𝑆+ = 𝐵𝐴𝑉

Where: MRS+ = rail seat positive

bending moment
B = the bending moment
in inch-kips for a particular
crosstie length and spacing
A = the transit load
reduction factor
(axle load/82k)
V = the speed factor (≥1.0)
Assumed or
Determined
Factor Value
Crosstie Spacing (in) 30
B (8’-3” Crosstie) (in-kips) 320
A (for a 33 kip axle) 33/82=0.40
Speed (mph) 60
V 1.0

Equations and figures from Article 30.4.4.1 of the 2014 AREMA Manual
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 19

Flexural Analysis – MRS+ - AREMA 2014

𝑀𝑅𝑆+ = 𝐵𝐴𝑉

Where: MRS+ = rail seat positive

bending moment
B = the bending moment
in inch-kips for a particular
crosstie length and spacing
A = the transit load
reduction factor
(axle load/82k)
V = the speed factor (≥1.0)
Assumed or
Determined
Factor Value
Crosstie Spacing (in) 30
B (8’-3” Crosstie) (in-kips) 320
A (for a 33 kip axle) 33/82=0.40
Speed (mph) 60
V ≥1.0  1.0

Equations and figures from Article 30.4.4.1 of the 2014 AREMA Manual
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 20

Flexural Analysis – MRS+ - AREMA 2014

𝑀𝑅𝑆+ = 𝐵𝐴𝑉

Where: MRS+ = rail seat positive

bending moment
B = the bending moment
in inch-kips for a particular
crosstie length and spacing
A = the transit load
reduction factor
(axle load/82k)
V = the speed factor (≥1.0)
Assumed or
Determined
Factor Value
Crosstie Spacing (in) 30
B (8’-3” Crosstie) (in-kips) 320
A (for a 33 kip axle) 33/82=0.40
Speed (mph) 60
V 1.0
MRS+=BAV=(320)(0.40)(1.0) 128 in-kip
Equations and figures from Article 30.4.4.1 of the 2014 AREMA Manual
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 21

Flexural Analysis – MC- - AREMA 2014

𝑀C− = 𝐹𝐶− 𝑀𝑅𝑆+

Where: MC- = center negative

bending moment
FC- = center negative
factor (per AREMA Table
30-4-1)
MRS+ = rail seat positive
bending moment

Assumed or
Determined
Factor Value
Crosstie Length 8’-3”
FC- 0.77
MRS+ 128 in-kip
MC- 99 in-kip

Equations and figures from Article 30.4.4.1 of the 2014 AREMA Manual
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 22

Flexural Analysis – MRS+ – Proposed

• Comparison of bending moments
– AREMA 2014
– AREMA 2015 (proposed)
g 𝑅(𝐿 − 𝑔)
𝑀𝑅𝑆+ =
R R 8
Where: g = rail seat center-
to-center distance
R = rail seat load
L = crosstie length
Crosstie Length (L) AREMA 2014 Structural Analysis
8’-3” 128 in-kip 120.5 in-kip
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 23

Flexural Analysis – MC- – Proposed

• Comparison of bending moments
– AREMA 2014
𝑅 𝐿2 − 1 − 𝛼 𝑐 2
𝑀𝐶− = −𝑔
– AREMA 2015 (proposed) 2 2 𝐿− 1−𝛼 𝑐
Where: R = rail seat load
g L = crosstie length
R α = center support factor
R
g = rail seat center-
to-center spacing
c = center support
c region = 2g - L
Crosstie Length (L) AREMA 2014 Structural Analysis
8’-3” 99 in-kip 99 in-kip
(for α = 0.42)

Center support factor (α) currently under review in AREMA

Committee 30 (Ties)
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 24

Future Work and Path Forward

• Further expand the understanding of vehicle and
infrastructure characteristics for rail transit
– Conduct field and laboratory experimentation to
more accurately characterize the loading
environment for light rail, heavy rail, and commuter
rail transit
• Investigate maintenance equipment wheel loads to
ensure compliance in crosstie and fastener design
• Conduct a survey on the use and performance of
concrete ties and fastening systems
– Objective: Develop an understanding of the most
common types of failures and the design
requirements for optimizing component resiliency
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 25

Rail Transit Infrastructure Survey

RailTEC Researchers Need Your Help!
• Survey will assist RailTEC Survey of Rail Transit Track
Superstructure Design and
researchers in prioritizing Performance

upcoming FTA-funded The Rail Transportation and Engineering Center

(RailTEC) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign (UIUC) has been awarded a grant
FTA Project
Industry Partners

research efforts from the FTA titled “Resilient Concrete Crosstie

and Fastening System Designs for Light Rail,
Heavy Rail, and Commuter Rail Transit
APTA

NYCT
Infrastructure”. The primary objective of this (New York

• Questions are specific to project will be to develop new concrete crosstie

and fastening system designs used in light rail,
heavy rail, and commuter rail infrastructure that
City, NY)
Metra
(Chicago, IL)

concrete crossties and take into account their unique loading conditions.

The RailTEC team, along with its Industry

MetroLink
(St. Louis, MO)

fastening systems Partners (listed on right), is conducting a survey to

help determine the most critical aspects of
crossties and fastening systems that should be
TriMet
(Portland, OR)

made resilient in the face of natural disasters or

Pandrol USA

• Need light, heavy, and

other events that place increased stress on
infrastructure and its components. We invite you
to participate in this survey at the following link: GIC

commuter rail responses https://goo.gl/QVJuyB

Survey results will be used to guide the field and

Amsted RPS

laboratory experimental efforts as well as the

LBFoster, CXT

• Survey should take only

analytical finite element (FE) modeling
Concrete Ties
components of this project.
Hanson
If you have any questions about this survey, Professional

10-15 minutes please feel free to contact RailTEC Graduate

Research Assistant Xiao (Sean) Lin at
Services, Inc.

Amtrak
xiaolin4@illinois.edu.

• Free RailTEC mug for first The first 20 individuals who complete the survey will receive a complimentary
RailTEC mug shipped to the address provided in the survey!

20 respondents!
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 26

Acknowledgements
FTA Industry Partners:

• Funding for this research has been provided by:

– Federal Transit Administration (FTA) (starts 1 Aug. 2015)
– National University Rail Center (NURail Center)
• Industry Partnership and support has been provided by
– American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
– New York City Transit (NYCT)
– Metra (Chicago)
– MetroLink (St. Louis)
– TriMet (Portland, Ore.)
– Pandrol USA
– Amsted RPS / Amsted Rail, Inc.
– LBFoster
– GIC Inc.
– Hanson Professional Services, Inc.
– Amtrak
• UIUC Students Sean Lin and Henry Wolf
Mechanistic Design of Rail Transit Concrete Crossties Slide 27

Contact Information

Matthew V. Csenge
Manager of Experimentation
csenge2@Illinois.edu
Xiao (Sean) Lin
Graduate Research Assistant
xiaolin4@Illinois.edu
Henry E. Wolf
Graduate Research Assistant
wolf24@Illinois.edu
Marcus S. Dersch
Senior Research Engineer
mdersch2@Illinois.edu
J. Riley Edwards
Sen. Lecturer and Research Sci.
jedward2@Illinois.edu