Full-Scale Experimental and Field Investigations into Expansion Mechanism of Foamed Polyurethane and its Lifting Behaviors for Repair and Maintenance of Railway Slab Track Systems.

Publisher: MDPI Country of Publication: Switzerland NLM ID: 101545357 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2073-4360 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 20734360 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Polymers (Basel) Subsets: PubMed not MEDLINE

Original Publication: Basel : MDPI

Excessive settlement of the subgrade seriously reduces the service quality of slab tracks and threatens trains' running safety. While the utilization of foamed polyurethane is recognized as an effective solution, previous research on its expansion mechanism and its impact on track lifting requires further refinement. Accordingly, a series of full-scale tests, including expansion force tests on foamed polyurethane with diverse qualities and lifting tests of polyurethane grouting with varied qualities on the track structure, have been conducted. The expansion development process of foamed polyurethane is meticulously elucidated, and key expansion parameters are analyzed. Simultaneously, this research explores the lifting behavior of foamed polyurethane grouting under the slab tracks, yielding new insights into essential lifting parameters for track formation repair and maintenance. Based on the experimental data, this study proposes new empirical formulas to comprehensively describe both the expansion mechanism of foam polyurethane and its lifting behavior under the slab tracks. The outcomes of this research offer a new breakthrough for the design of lifting mechanism for maintaining slab track structures through the utilization of foam polyurethane slurry grouting, such as determining the optimal grouting quantity. In addition, these results are instrumental to the evaluation of lifting effects and service life, enhancing the circular economy of railway track systems.

Materials (Basel). 2018 Sep 27;11(10):. (PMID: 30262722)
Materials (Basel). 2019 Aug 22;12(17):. (PMID: 31443352)
Polymers (Basel). 2021 Apr 18;13(8):. (PMID: 33919498)
Polymers (Basel). 2022 Aug 08;14(15):. (PMID: 35956729)

Grant No. 51978588 and Grant No. 52078434 National Natural Science Foundation of China; EP/ Y015401/1 UK Research and Innovation; Grant No. 2015G002-K Technology Research and Development Program of the Chinese Railway Corporation

Keywords: expansion mechanism; foamed polyurethane; high-speed railway; laboratory tests; lifting behaviors; settlement repair; slab track

Date Created: 20240210 Latest Revision: 20240213

20240213

PMC10856941

10.3390/polym16030404

38337293