Laboratory and Numerical Investigation of Pre-Tensioned Reinforced Concrete Railway Sleepers Combined with Plastic Fiber Reinforcement

Attila Németh; Sarah Khaleel Ibrahim; Majid Movahedi Rad; Szabolcs Szalai; Zoltán Major; Szabolcs Kocsis Szürke; Vivien Jóvér; Mykola Sysyn; Dmytro Kurhan; Dániel Harrach; Gusztáv Baranyai; Imre Fekete; Richárd Nagy; Hanna Csótár; Klaudia Madarász; András Pollák; Bálint Molnár; Bence Hermán; Miklós Kuczmann; László Gáspár; Szabolcs Fischer

doi:10.3390/polym16111498

Laboratory and Numerical Investigation of Pre-Tensioned Reinforced Concrete Railway Sleepers Combined with Plastic Fiber Reinforcement

Polymers (Basel). 2024 May 24;16(11):1498. doi: 10.3390/polym16111498.

Authors

Attila Németh^{1

2}, Sarah Khaleel Ibrahim^{1

2}, Majid Movahedi Rad^{1

2}, Szabolcs Szalai^{1

2}, Zoltán Major^{1

2}, Szabolcs Kocsis Szürke^{1

2}, Vivien Jóvér^{1

2}, Mykola Sysyn³, Dmytro Kurhan⁴, Dániel Harrach^{1

2}, Gusztáv Baranyai^{1

2}, Imre Fekete^{1

2}, Richárd Nagy^{1

2}, Hanna Csótár^{1

2}, Klaudia Madarász^{1

2}, András Pollák^{1

2}, Bálint Molnár^{1

2}, Bence Hermán^{1

2}, Miklós Kuczmann^{1

2}, László Gáspár^{2

5}, Szabolcs Fischer^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Central Campus Győr, Széchenyi István University, H-9026 Győr, Hungary.
² Vehicle Industry Research Center, Széchenyi István University, H-9026 Győr, Hungary.
³ Department of Planning and Design of Railway Infrastructure, Technical University Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany.
⁴ Department of Transport Infrastructure, Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies, UA-49005 Dnipro, Ukraine.
⁵ KTI Institute for Transport Sciences Non-Profit Ltd., H-1119 Budapest, Hungary.

Abstract

This research investigates the application of plastic fiber reinforcement in pre-tensioned reinforced concrete railway sleepers, conducting an in-depth examination in both experimental and computational aspects. Utilizing 3-point bending tests and the GOM ARAMIS system for Digital Image Correlation, this study meticulously evaluates the structural responses and crack development in conventional and plastic fiber-reinforced sleepers under varying bending moments. Complementing these tests, the investigation employs ABAQUS' advanced finite element modeling to enhance the analysis, ensuring precise calibration and validation of the numerical models. This dual approach comprehensively explains the mechanical behavior differences and stresses within the examined structures. The incorporation of plastic fibers not only demonstrates a significant improvement in mechanical strength and crack resistance but paves the way for advancements in railway sleeper technology. By shedding light on the enhanced durability and performance of reinforced concrete structures, this study makes a significant contribution to civil engineering materials science, highlighting the potential for innovative material applications in the construction industry.

Keywords: ABAQUS; DIC; FEM; laboratory experiments; numerical modeling; plastic fiber reinforcement; pre-stressing; railway; reinforced concrete; sleeper.

Grants and funding

This paper was prepared by the research team “SZE-RAIL”. This research was supported by SIU Foundation’s project ‘Sustainable railways—Investigation of the energy efficiency of electric rail vehicles and their infrastructure’. The publishing of the paper did not receive financial support or financing of the article process charge. The authors thank MABA Hungária Ltd. (Várpalota) for manufacturing all of the test specimens (concrete cylinders and L4-type pre-stressed concrete sleepers).