Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2000

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Committee Chair

Hota GangaRao.

Abstract

Railroad crossties are strengthened by wrapping glass fiber reinforced composites (GFRC). In addition, durability of crossties has been found to have enhanced by reinforcing them with GFRC wraps. In order to reduce the cost, GFRC wraps are not used to wrap the entire length of a crosstie, but only in the region that holds steel plates. The objective of this research is to select compatible adhesive between creosote treated wood and glass fabric, and study the performance of wrapped wooden crossties.;Five primer/resin combinations (Resorcinol Formaldehyde group) were screened for strength and durability of treated wood crossties. To evaluate stiffness and durability of wrapped samples under natural environmental conditions (simulated by six cycles aging), half scale wooden crossties (3 in. x 4 in. x 42 in.) were wrapped with glass fabric at midspan over a length of 20 in. before subjecting them to three point bending test. These tests were conducted on half scale samples, before and after accelerated aging conditions.;To study the performance of GFRC full scale crossties, fatigue testing was carried out on full scale non-wrapped and GFRC wrapped specimens. Full scale crossties were wrapped over the rail-seat zones and then embedded in ballast under flexural fatigue. The experimental deflections and bending moment correlated well with the analytical values using the bending theory of beams on elastic foundation. After evaluating the performance of GFRC wrapped crossties in the laboratory, the GFRC full scale crossties were manufactured and installed in the field. Preliminary field results of full scale GFRC wrapped crossties are reported herein.

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