MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
Robert Netopilik, P.Eng., M.A.Sc.
Manager, Track Infrastructure
Metrolinx
Christopher Price, P.Eng.
Track and Civil Engineer
AECOM
IS EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER?
2MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
Track design
Foundation design
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INTRODUCTION
3MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
⪠Desire to increase operating speed
⪠80 mph passenger, 60 mph freight
⪠Limited space available
INTRODUCTION
4MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
⪠Maximum passenger unbalance of 3.0â
⪠Cross-level construction tolerance of ÂŒâ
Degree of curve 1°30â
Super-elevation 3.75â
Passenger
Unbalance2.97â
Passenger Speed 80 mph
Freight Unbalance 0.03â
Freight Speed 60 mph
PROBLEM
5MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
Design Constructed
Degree of curve 1°30â 1°30â
Super-elevation 3.75â 3.50â
Passenger Unbalance 2.97â 3.00â
Passenger Speed 80 mph 78.5 mph
Freight Unbalance 0.03â 0.28â
Freight Speed 60 mph 60 mph
⪠The curve was constructed ÂŒâ under
the design super-elevation
⪠The original design followed all
recommended methods
⪠Verification with a geometry car
revealed a maximum speed of 78.5
mph
⪠A TSO was required
⪠This location will always be
susceptible to cross-level error
So what happened?
FUNDAMENTALS OF CURVE DESIGN
6MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
⪠Balanced super-elevation is the point at
which the force on both of the rails is
the same
⪠Balanced Super-elevation is calculated
using the formula:
⪠The balanced super-elevation can be
related to the actual and the
unbalanced super-elevation through
the following formula:
Eð = 0.0007 ð¥ ð·ð ð¥ ð2
ðžðµ = ðžðŽ + ðžð
EA = EB
Eu = 0
Eu > 0
Underbalanced
Centrifugal Force
Weig
ht
Eu < 0
Overbalanced
FUNDAMENTALS OF CURVE DESIGN
7MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
Centrifugal Force
Weig
ht
⪠Occurs when the
unbalance is less than 0
⪠There is too much super-
elevation applied
⪠Low rail plastic
deformation
⪠Increased gauge widening
lateral loads
⪠Increased maintenance
intervals required
⪠This is not a desired case
⪠Occurs when the
unbalance is greater than 0
⪠There is not enough super-
elevation applied
⪠Limited by passenger
comfort
⪠Regulatory limits that
cannot be exceeded
⪠Results in high rail gauge
corner wear
⪠Is considered more
desirable
Eu < 0
OverbalancedEu > 0
Underbalanced
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE TOLERANCES
8MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
Track Class 1 2 3 4 5
Speed 15/10 30/25 60/40 80/60 95/80
Priority 1â 1â Ÿâ Âœâ Âœâ
Urgent 3â 2â 1-Ÿâ 1-ÂŒâ 1â
Maintenance is governed by two key areas:
1. Cross-level deviation from design
⪠Defects are âpriorityâ or âurgentâ
⪠Allows for maintenance measures before
introduction of a TSO
⪠Avoids the reduction in track speed
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE TOLERANCES
9MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
Maintenance is governed by two key areas:
2. Vmax
⪠The balanced super-elevation formula
is rearranged to yield maximum
allowable speed
⪠This formula has been adopted by both
TC and FRA as a regulatory limit
ðððŽð =ðžðŽ + ðžð¢0.0007 ð·ð¶
Construction is governed by:
1. Cross-level deviation from design
⪠Typically varies by agency
⪠±Œâ is a common value
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE TOLERANCES
10MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
Applying these two cases to the previous example:
⪠Passenger speed 80 mph,
freight speed 60 mph
⪠Class 4 track
⪠Degree of curvature is 1°30âand maximum unbalance is
3.0â
⪠Priority defect: Âœâ
⪠Urgent defect: 1-ÂŒâ
Criteria 1
Cross-level from
design
Design 3.75â
Construction
Tolerance3.50â
Priority Defect 3.25â
Urgent Defect 2.50â
Maintenance action triggered
No reduction in speed required
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE TOLERANCES
11MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
Applying these two cases to the previous example:
Criteria 1
Cross-level from
design
Design 3.75â
Construction
Tolerance3.50â
Priority Defect 3.25â
Urgent Defect 2.50â
Maintenance
action triggered
No reduction in
speed required
Criteria 2
ðððŽð
80 mph
79 mph
77 mph
72 mph
Maintenance
action triggered
Reduction in
speed required
CAUSE
12MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
⪠Design speed close to the regulatory
limits causes issues after construction
⪠Bypasses the priority and urgent
defect classification
⪠Standards do not incorporate any
tolerances in the design
Current industry standard is to âavoid the
unbalance limitsâ, but how can this be
quantified?
UNBALANCE UPPER LIMITS
13MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
⪠The upper limits in the
field are defined by
regulatory bodies
⪠Adding a maintenance
buffer ððµ reduces the
likelihood of early
intervention
⪠This reduces the
maximum allowable
unbalance in design
ðððŽð =ðžðŽ + ðžð¢0.0007 ð·ð¶
In the field...
ðððŽð,ð·ðžðð =ðžðŽ,ð·ðžðð + ðžð,ððŽð â ððµ,ððŽð
0.0007ð·ð¶
In Design...
ððµ,ððŽð Desired = Âœâ
ððµ,ððŽð Absolute = ÂŒâ
Assumed construction cross-level tolerance of ÂŒâ
UNBALANCE UPPER LIMITS
14MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
ðððŽð =ðžðŽ + ðžð¢0.0007 ð·ð¶
In the field...
ðððŽð,ð·ðžðð =ðžðŽ,ð·ðžðð + ðžð,ððŽð â ððµ,ððŽð
0.0007ð·ð¶
In Design...
ðððŽð
Speed
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
UNBALANCE LOWER LIMITS
15MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
⪠There are no regulatory
requirements for the
minimum unbalance
⪠Itâs generally common
practice to avoid
negatives
⪠Desired case of zero
unbalance
⪠Absolute case of -1â
unbalance
In the field...
In Design...
ððµ,ððŒð Desired = ÂŒâ
ððµ,ððŒð Absolute = -Ÿâ
ðððŒð,ð·ðžðð =ðžðŽ,ð·ðžðð + ððµ,ððŒð
0.0007ð·ð¶ðððŒð =
Assumed construction cross-level tolerance of ÂŒâ
Not
Defined
UNBALANCE LOWER LIMITS
16MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
ðððŽð
Speed
In the field...
ðððŒð =ðžðŽ + ðžð¢
0.0007 ð¥ ð·ð¶
Not
Defined
In Design...
ðððŒð,ð·ðžðð =ðžðŽ,ð·ðžðð + ððµ,ððŒð
0.0007ð·ð¶
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
SOLUTION
17MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
ðððŽð
Speed
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
ððµ,ððŒð Desired = ÂŒâ
ððµ,ððŒð Absolute = -Ÿâ
ðððŒð,ð·ðžðð =ðžðŽ,ð·ðžðð + ððµ,ððŒð
0.0007ð·ð¶ðððŽð,ð·ðžðð =
ðžðŽ,ð·ðžðð + ðžð,ððŽð â ððµ,ððŽð
0.0007ð·ð¶
ððµ,ððŽð Desired = Âœâ
ððµ,ððŽð Absolute = ÂŒâ
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
DESIGN LIMITS
18MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽð
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
Speed
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
Applying these to the previous example:
53.5 mph 61.7 mph 77.2 mph 78.7 mph
80.2 mph
FreightSpeed
PassengerSpeed
Exceeds desired
limits but not
absolute
Absolute limits
exceeded
What if we adjust the super-elevation?
19MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽð
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
53.5 mph 61.7 mph 77.2 mph 78.7 mph
80.2 mph
ðððŽð
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
63.6 mph
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
78.7 mph
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
80.2 mph
81.5 mph
Ea = 3.75â
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
55.6 mph
FreightSpeed
PassengerSpeed
Exceeds desired
limits but not absolute Exceeds desired limits
but not absolute
Ea = 4.00â
DESIGN LIMITS
20MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽð
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
53.5 mph 61.7 mph 77.2 mph 78.7 mph
80.2 mph
Ea = 3.75â
Ea = 4.00â
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽð
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
57.7 mph 65.5 mph 80.2 mph 81.7 mph
83.1 mph
Ea = 4.25â
Exceeds desired
limits but not absolute Does not exceed
desired limits
DESIGN LIMITS
21MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00 90.00 100.00
Super-
ele
vation (
Inches)
Speed (mph)
Ea = 4.25â
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽðAbsolute
ðððŽð Plots for 1°30â Curve
GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION
Ea = 3.75â
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00 90.00 100.00
Super-
ele
vation (
Inches)
Speed (mph)
22MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽðAbsolute
ðððŽð Plots for 2°00â Curve
Ea = 4.25â
SOLUTION
23MIXED-USE CORRIDORS: DESIGN MEETING STANDARDS RESULTING IN TRACK DEFECTS
ðððŽð
Speed
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŒð,ð·ðžððDesired
ððµ,ððŒð Desired = ÂŒâ
ððµ,ððŒð Absolute = -Ÿâ
ðððŒð,ð·ðžðð =ðžðŽ,ð·ðžðð + ððµ,ððŒð
0.0007ð·ð¶
ðððŽð,ð·ðžðð =ðžðŽ,ð·ðžðð + ðžð,ððŽð â ððµ,ððŽð
0.0007ð·ð¶
ððµ,ððŽð Desired = Âœâ
ððµ,ððŽð Absolute = ÂŒâ
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððAbsolute
ðððŽð,ð·ðžððDesired
⪠Overbalanced case requires more
maintenance and is not desired
⪠Regulatory limits on the allowable
underbalance
⪠Common practice is to avoid the
unbalance limits
⪠Vmax defects do not follow priority
and urgent defect types and require
immediate intervention
⪠Proposed formulas place design
limits below the regulatory limits
QUESTIONS?
Robert Netopilik, P.Eng., M.A.Sc.
Manager, Track Infrastructure
Metrolinx
Christopher Price, P.Eng.
Track and Civil Engineer
AECOM