Discrete element modeling of aggregate behavior in fouled railroad ballast

Hai Huang, Erol Tutumluer, Youssef M.A. Hashash, Jamshid Ghaboussi

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper describes an aggregate imaging based Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) methodology successfully employed to model both clean and coal dust fouled railroad ballast behavior. Laboratory direct shear box tests were conducted on granite type clean and fouled ballast aggregate samples. The size, shape and angularity properties of the aggregate particles were obtained through image analysis. Accordingly, direct shear box DEM simulations were conducted for different aggregate contact friction conditions. Both the clean ballast behavior and the heavily fouled case of coal dust filling completely all the voids in ballast were adequately modeled using the DEM approach by assigning a lower contact friction angle as the controlling discrete element model parameter in the latter case. In accordance with the direct shear test results, much lower shear stress-shear deformation curves, i.e., lower shear strengths, were predicted the coal dust fouled case using the DEM simulations. Copyright ASCE 2009.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationRecent Advancement in Soil Behavior, In Situ Test Methods, Pile Foundations, and Tunneling
Pages33-41
Number of pages9
Edition192
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Event2009 GeoHunan International Conference - Recent Advancement in Soil Behavior, In Situ Test Methods, Pile Foundations, and Tunneling - Changsha, Hunan, China
Duration: Aug 3 2009Aug 6 2009

Publication series

NameGeotechnical Special Publication
Number192
ISSN (Print)0895-0563

Other

Other2009 GeoHunan International Conference - Recent Advancement in Soil Behavior, In Situ Test Methods, Pile Foundations, and Tunneling
Country/TerritoryChina
CityChangsha, Hunan
Period8/3/098/6/09

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Building and Construction
  • Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology

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