During railway operations, changes in the support conditions of sleepers, owing to various internal and external factors, can damage rails and concrete sleepers and alter the structural characteristics of gravel-ballasted tracks.However, current methods for evaluating gravel ballast conditions primarily rely on visual inspection.This study proposes a quantitative approach using Ice Cube Collection Tray modal testing to assess ballast conditions.This is achieved by analyzing and experimentally verifying the relationship between track ballast loosening (caused by subgrade deformation) and track support performance.Finite element analysis results and field experimental values were compared using spring stiffness as a parameter.
The results showed that natural frequencies and mode shapes changed in response to variations in the vertical spring stiffness of the gravel-ballasted track.Therefore, Match Holder the sleeper support condition of a gravel-ballasted track can be readily identified by analyzing the natural frequency corresponding to different sleeper support conditions.