The developed vertical coupling model of Vehicle-Track-Subgrade which considered subgrade layer vibration is presented. The equations of motion for the ballast, top and bottom subgrade layers are presented in detail. Through inputting different coefficients, the dynamic response of track-subgrade system in a seasonal frozen region in different seasons is obtained by the developed model and the uneven freeze-thaw action of subgrade soil is presented in this model. The effect of subgrade inhomogeneity induced by uneven freeze-thaw on the dynamic response of track-subgrade system was studied and the conclusions are as follows. The force at the interface of ballast and top subgrade layer and the deformation of ballast induced by a passing train changed sharply at the stiffness mutation zone. The force and deformation decreased with increasing stiffness ratio with the same amplitude of irregularities as the excitation source. The force and deformation were larger with larger amplitudes of irregularities. There was an obvious effect of uneven deformation and stiffness of subgrade on the dynamic response of track-subgrade system.
In seasonally frozen regions,the frost-heave properties of soil play a significant role in its upper-structure performance and durability.To investigate the frost-heave behaviors of saturated,compacted silty clay soil widely used as subgrade material,a series of one-side freezing tests was carried out;and the freezing depth and frozen front effected by the compactness,temperature,overburden pressure,and water-supply condition were analyzed and discussed.The results show that the moving speed of the frozen front and growth rate of the frozen depth are positively correlated.The frost heave is maximum in the frost-heave stability condition.The frost ratio of saturated soil is proportional to the water supply and cooling temperature under a one-side freezing condition.The frost ratio of saturated soil is inversely proportional to the initial compactness of the soil specimen and the overburden pressure.
This paper reports on the dynamic response of highway subgrade under moving heavy truck in cold regions. Numerical simulations are performed in two stages. In the first stage, the moving heavy truck vibration, induced by road roughness, is calculated through a three-dimensional dynamic interaction model of heavy truck-pavement-subgrade, and the time-histories of nodal loads on the top of the base are calculated through this model. In the second stage, a two-dimensional dynamic finite element model of the base-subgrade-ground system is formulated, using the calculated nodal loads from the first stage as input. The dynamic response of the subgrade is validated by field measurements, and the effects of truck type, axle loading, running speed, and road roughness on the vertical dynamic stress in the unfrozen period and the spring thawing period are analyzed and discussed.
Frost heave is an upward swelling of soil during cryogenic conditions in cold regions. It is caused by the accumulation of ice crystals in subgrade soil, which grow upwards when freezing temperatures penetrate into the subgrade. This study establishes the allowable soil subgrade frost heave based on the roughness standard of asphalt pavement in China, and aims to balance the pavement design and frost heave resistance of subgrades in cold regions. We formulated a mechanical model of pavement supported by the boundary conditions of differential frost heave, based on the elastic layered system theory. The differential soil subgrade frost heave was modeled as a sinusoidal function, and the allowable frost heave and the roughness index were modeled as the displacement boundaries for the top and bottom of the pavement structure. Then the allowable frost heave was back-calculated according to the roughness standard. Numerical results show that the allowable frost heave depends on the pavement structure, material properties, the highway grade, and other factors. In order to ensure that the actual soil subgrade frost heave is lower than the allowable frost heave, pavement structures and materials need to be selected and designed carefully. The numerical method proposed here can be applied to establish the frost heave resistance of subgrade when the pavement structure and materials are determined.
