Abstract
This paper presents a simple method to estimate cyclic plastic deformation of ballasted track subjected to repeated train passages in terms of the strength and deformation characteristics of coarse granular materials. A new analytical procedure with linear elastic FEM analysis considering the cumulative strain derived from element test results of ballast was proposed, and it was revealed that the analytical procedure could roughly estimate the residual settlement of railroad ballast, which is an assemblage of poorly-graded crushed stone, by simulating small scale model tests of ballasted track.
