Remaining Prestress Force in Concrete Ties Removed from Track after 25 Years [Research Results]

Federal Railroad Administration2021PDFBriefStuart, CameronPeterman, Robert J.Beck, B TerryJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)TTCI, IncPrecast/Prestressed Concrete InstituteUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research, Development and TechnologyUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research, Development, and TechnologyUnited StatesConcreteRailroad tiesRail fastenersRail transitBearing capacityBendingConcrete tiesFlexural strengthPretensioningInfrastructureMaterials by shape or formHigh speed railresidual prestress forceRR 21-11DTFR53-15-C-00006Stuart, Cameron DResearch ResultsThis report highlights research conducted to determine the remaining (residual) prestress force in prestressed concrete ties that had performed well in track and were subsequently removed after 25 years of service. The team developed a new, direct tension test method to experimentally determine the residual prestress force in a concrete tie. The method used the entire tie as the test specimen rather than extrapolating the data from the response of one component, or region of the tie. This new approach minimized the effect of small measurement errors.119