Optimization of concrete sleepers subjected to static and impact loadings

Prestressed concrete sleepers play an essential role in the railway track’s performance and safety responses, having an important function of transferring and distributing loads from the track’s superstructure to ballast bed. Cracks on the prestressed concrete sleepers are mainly caused by impact loadings form wheel and rail interactions. Thus, the excessive railway track maintenance cost. The effect and optimization of different prestressed sleeper shape under static and impact loadings has not been previously well investigated. Therefore, this paper focused on the optimization of prestressed concrete sleepers (PCS) shape looking at sleeper safety and sleeper volume. ANSYS 16 was used to analyze the static and impact loading on sleepers. The concrete part of the sleeper was modelled using a three-dimensional solid element, SOLID65 and the pre-stressing wires by truss elements, LINK180, to withstand the initial strain attributed to pre-stressing forces. This paper revealed that irregular hexagon sleeper shape with different width at rail seat and center section having 251 mm and 175 mm center width and height respectively; 281 mm and 200 mm end and rail seat width and height respectively is safe. This paper; thus, point out to irregular hexagonal shape sleeper are more economical and safe unlike the other modelled shapes.