Numerical investigation of the railway track lateral resistance with Y-shaped steel sleepers caused by different conditions of the ballast layer

This study employs a three-dimensional finite element model to investigate the effect of ballast material characteristics on railway tracks with Y-shaped steel sleepers. The model's accuracy was validated by comparing its results with those from the Single Tie Push Test (STPT), demonstrating an acceptable error margin of less than 5%. The research assessed the impact of ballast fouling from sand and steel slag, revealing that an increase in steel slag led to a remarkable 125% improvement in lateral resistance. The maximum lateral resistance recorded was at 25% sand contamination, with values of 43.49 kN for Y-foot loading and 38.90 kN for Y-head loading. However, exceeding this percentage resulted in a decline in resistance. The study also identified the contributions of different ballast layer components to lateral resistance: 64% from the crib, 24% from the base, and 12% from the shoulder.