Modelling and Analysis of Flexural Behavior of Composite Sleepers Reinforced by Multi-Directional Glass Fabrics

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Railway Engineering and Transportation Planning, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Transportation, University of Isfahan (UI), Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Textile Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology (IUT), Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Over the past decade, glass fabrics have gained significant attention for use in the construction of concrete railway sleepers. Advances in composite technology have spurred extensive research into glass-based composite materials, suggesting their potential as replacements for traditional sleepers. However, the impact of three-dimensional (3D) glass fabrics on reinforcing concrete sleepers and the optimal application of these fabrics has not been sufficiently explored. Additionally, there has been no comparative analysis of the flexural strength between concrete sleepers reinforced with glass fabrics and those reinforced with steel rebars. This study investigates the potential of Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) fabrics as an alternative for concrete railway sleepers. Laboratory-scale concrete sleeper samples were prepared and reinforced with two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) glass fabrics, covering 50% and 70% of the surface area. Flexural strength tests were conducted on these samples, and their validity was confirmed through finite element analysis using Abaqus software. The empirical results from small-scale tests were extrapolated to estimate the performance of full-sized sleepers. The findings indicate that the use of 3D fabrics can increase flexural strength and crack resistance by up to 20% and 30%, respectively. Moreover, 3D fabrics with 70% surface coverage can further enhance flexural strength by 15%. GFRC sleepers meet all standards and performance requirements for commercialization, showing up to 25% higher flexural strength and up to 40% improved crack resistance compared to conventional concrete sleepers.

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History

  • Receive Date: 14 June 2024
  • Revise Date: 17 June 2024
  • Accept Date: 17 June 2024

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