Development of inter-particle friction in a railway ballast
Cacin P. Y. Wong, M. R. Coop
Abstract
A detailed experimental programme investigated how the coefficient of friction at particle contacts for a typical UK railway ballast varied during cyclic loading. Despite a decrease of roughness, the friction coefficient increased steadily, stabilising in the region of tens of cycles. In contrast to previous work on the contact behaviour of sands, water inundation caused a significant but reversible decrease of the coefficient, while the generation of a significant amount of abraded fines did not affect it, nor did the load level.
Topics & Concepts
BallastFriction coefficientGeotechnical engineeringParticle (ecology)Materials scienceSurface finishCoefficient of frictionWork (physics)Dynamical frictionComposite materialGeologyEngineeringMechanical engineeringOceanographyAdhesion, Friction, and Surface InteractionsMechanical stress and fatigue analysisRailway Engineering and Dynamics