Failure analysis of concrete sleepers in heavy haul railway tracks

Many industrial plants have railway lines that must support low-speed heavy haul freight traffic. This type of special haulage, such as pig iron torpedo ladles or heavy cisterns, may cause substantial settlement of the track foundations and require suitable sleeper and ballast design that allows these elements to uniformly transmit axle loads to the ground.In this study, we develop a failure analysis of a railway track used for transporting heavy haul industrial freight. The aim of the study is to describe the method with which this type of failure should be analyzed. We develop a specific case, establishing the causes of failure and offering guidelines for improving the design and upkeep the sleepers and ballast on which the tracks are laid. The ultimate aim is to offer guidance to the forensic engineer on the tests and variables to analyze with regard to the failure of railway track foundations.