Finite Element Modelling and Design Procedures for Verifications of Trackbed Structure

In many fields of Civil Engineering Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is widely used at the design stage. In case of railway trackbed design we can take into account various geotechnical and structural problems. In many countries the resilient modulus is used as a key parameter for evaluation of design correctness. Knowledge of the module itself does not prove the correctness, because for example it does not account slope stability. These phenomena, which are crucial to the subgrade behavior, can be described using FEM models. This article presents a simplified numerical model of railway trackbed layered structure. The stress and strain fields were analyzed and compared with estimation using available empirical formulae.