Geogrid reinforced railway embankment on soft soil – Experiences

from 5 years of field monitoring

S. Lenart
Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG), Ljubljana, Slovenia
J. Klompmaker
BBG Bauberatung Geokunststoffe GmbH  Co. KG, Espelkamp-Fiestel, Germany

ABSTRACT: As a result of increasing railway traffic, speed and axle loads, existing railway tracks, especially
those which are built on soft ground, often show signs of distress and settlements. These have a serious influence
on the safety and economy of existing railway lines. As an economic measure for the rehabilitation and/or upgrad-
ing of existing railway lines, geogrid or geocomposite products for reinforcement, filtration and separation have
successfully been installed in many projects and decisive product properties for these materials have been specified
by Railway Authorities. The geogrid reinforcement restrains lateral deformations of the ballast/sub-ballast through
shear interaction, which reduces permanent horizontal strains and vertical stresses in the long run. The geotextile
component, as separation and filtration layer, prevents mixing of the often fine subgrade (clay/silt) with the coarse
aggregate, which prevents distortion of the whole track superstructure. The paper presents results from 5 years of
field measurement of a rehabilitated railway section (Poljčane – Dolga Gora, Slovenia) with geogrid reinforced
sub-ballast layer on soft soil. In addition to this results from 2 years of field measurement of a rehabilitated railway
section (Sava, Slovenia) with geogrid reinforced ballast layer on soft soil are presented and compared to an unrein-
forced section.

Keywords: geogrid, ballast/sub-ballast reinforcement, rehabilitation, aggregate confinement, monitoring

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Railway track components and their functions

1.1.1 Sleepers
The main functions of sleepers are to provide a solid, even and flat platform for the rails, and support the
rail fastening system. They are laid on the top of a compacted ballast layer. Sleepers receive the rail loads
and distribute them over a wider ballast area to decrease the stress to an acceptable level.

1.1.2 Ballast
Railway ballast can be defined as granular coarse aggregate. According to Selig and Waters (1994), tradi-
tionally, angular, crushed hard stones and rocks, uniformly graded, free of dust and dirt and not prone to
cementing action have been considered good ballast materials. Ballast is a granular material with high
bearing capacity that is placed above sub-ballast or subgrade to act as a platform, to support the track su-
perstructure. Its main function is to spread the high loads of passing axles to the subgrade.

1.1.3 Sub-ballast
Sub-ballast is composed of well-graded crushed rock or sand gravel mixtures, and it is positioned be-
tween the ballast and the subgrade material. The sub-ballast layer transmits and distributes stress from the
ballast layer to the subgrade over a larger area to reduce the magnitude of resultant stress. Another im-
portant function is to prevent intermixing between the ballast and subgrade layer. Sub-ballast acts as a fil-
ter to stop upward migration of subgrade particles into the ballast and penetration of coarse ballast into
subgrade.
1.1.4 Subgrade
The subgrade provides the foundation on which the track is constructed. It can be existing natural soil or
placed soil. The subgrade must be stiff and have enough bearing strength and stability to avoid excessive
settlement. Lack of the required quality will result in an unacceptable disturbance of the track system, and
even ballast and sub-ballast will not stay in very good condition.

1.2 Statement of the problem

Railway tracks are subjected to static and dynamic stresses (Pstat. & Pdyn.) resulting from the wheel loads
of the train. These stresses are transferred from the wheel over the rail into the track and have to be ab-
sorbed by the available stiffness of the track and its individual components (ballast and sub-ballast layer).
In Figure 1 the load distribution within a track structure is systematically shown.

Figure 1. Load distribution mechanism in railway track structure (Lieberenz et al. 2009)

In addition to stresses related purely to traffic, stresses from strongly varying climatic effects (e.g. freeze-
thaw cycles) have to be taken into consideration as well.
The load bearing system of the railway track has to be designed in such a way that the affecting stresses
(p) can be absorbed by individual layers without causing detrimental damage and deformations
(B > p,1 and SG > p,2). The amount of deformations (s) depends on the affecting stress, the defor-
mation modulus of the ballast- (EBL), sub-ballast layer (EPL) and subgrade (ESG) as well as the thickness
(tBL & t PL) of the individual layers.
As a result of increasing railway traffic speed and axle loads the ballast deteriorates due to breakage of
the angular corners, which reduces the shear strength and the drainage characteristics of this important
load bearing layer as the fines are clogging the pore space. A weakening of the ballast layer in turn causes
greater stresses to the underlying sub-ballast and subgrade layer which can finally lead to detrimental de-
formations to the railway track.
Increased stresses to the subgrade often cause a so called “mud pumping effect”, where fines from the
subgrade are moving into the ballast / sub-ballast layer (Figure 2). As a result of reduced drainage charac-
teristics of the load bearing layers, increased pore water pressures have to be expected which subsequent-
ly lead to localised undrained shear failure of the ballast / sub-ballast.

Figure 2. Ballast layer clogged with fines from subgrade as a result of “mud pumping” (Lieberenz et al. 2009)
1.3 Rehabilitation of railway tracks with geosynthetics
In case that the railway track is not capable anymore to absorb the stresses from the railway traffic with-
out causing detrimental deformations, maintenance or rehabilitation of the track is required. Geogrids
have successfully been used over the last decades to reinforce track bed materials. They can either be in-
stalled at the bottom of the ballast layer (Figure 3) or between sub-ballast layer and in-situ subgrade (Fig-
ure 4).

Geogrid

Figure 3. Geogrid reinforcement of the ballast layer for maintenance reduction

Geogrid / Geocomposite

Figure 4. Geogrid / Geocomposite reinforcement of the sub-ballast layer for bearing capacity improvement

When installed at the bottom of the ballast layer, the primary benefit is an extension of the maintenance
cycle, i.e. the period between ballast cleaning and replacement operations.
In case that the geogrid is placed below the sub-ballast layer, the primary function of the geogrid is to
increase the bearing capacity of an underlying soft subgrade.
In both cases reinforcement of the unbound aggregate layer is achieved by the so called interlocking ef-
fect, which defines the partial penetration of aggregate particles through the apertures of the geogrid
(Figure 5)

Figure 5. Aggregate particles interlocking with geogrid apertures

Perkins (1999) has described the reinforcement mechanisms and their resulting benefits associated with
the interaction of the geogrid with the unbound aggregate as follows:

- Confinement of the aggregate results in a reduction of lateral spreading.

- Confinement results in an increase in lateral stress within the aggregate thereby increasing its
stiffness. This reduces the dynamic (recoverable) deformation for each load cycle.
- An increased stiffness of the aggregate results in an improved vertical stress distribution onto the
underlying subgrade. This leads to reduced and more uniform surface deformation.
- A reduction in the shear stress within the subgrade leading to lower vertical strain.

When geogrid reinforcement products are combined with geotextiles, these so called geocomposites are
offering additional functions as e.g. separation, filtration and to a certain extent also drainage. These
products are mainly used underneath sub-ballast layers which are placed on fine grained soft subgrade
soils, like e.g. soft clays.
 2 CASE HISTORIES ON REHABILITATION OF RAILWAY TRACK

2.1 Reinforcement of sub-ballast layer in Dolga Gora, Slovenia

Rehabilitation of an existing railway embankment of the railway line Ljubljana-Maribor, section Pol-
jčane-Dolga Gora, has been described in details by Lenart and Klompmaker (2010). Geotechnical inves-
tigations indicated very bad ground conditions (low plasticity clay) and a high ground water level. Due to
very low subgrade modulus of E < 10 MPa a rehabilitation by geogrid reinforcement under sub-ballast
layer, 1 m below the sleeper, has been performed in 2008. The whole embankment was reconstructed at
that occasion as seen on Figure 6. There was no possibility to establish an unreinforced test section.
Geogrid deformation under railway traffic was monitored by 8 strain gauges (4 applied to longitudinal
rib and 4 to transverse ribs), which are all connected to a data acquisition system (Figure 7). The meas-
urement accuracy of the used strain gauges is in the range of 1µm/m, like at Sava site described later.
Horizontal deformations inside the sub-ballast layer were measured by a 5 m wide horizontal strain ex-
tensometer, which was installed approx. 20 cm above formation level.

Figure 6. Reconstruction of railway embankment in Dolga Gora site: (left) installation of geogrid in combination with a sepa-
ration and filtration geotextile, (right) installation of horizontal extensiometer

Figure 7. Strain gauges applied to geogrid are located in the center line of railway track, Dolga Gora site

2.2 Geogrid reinforcement

A geogrid with equivalent tensile properties has been used at Dolga Gora site as well as at Sava site (de-
scribed later), although it has been combined separately with a separation and filtration geotextile in case
of Dolga Gora site, while it has been used as a geosynthetic composite at Sava site. Geogrid reinforce-
ment bars were pre-stressed during the manufacturing process causing high degree of molecular orienta-
tion and thus high tensile modulus at low strain. The tensile strength of geogrid is equal to 40 kN/m,
while other physical properties are shown in Table 1.
 Aperture size Unit weight Tensile Strength [kN/m]
Polymer
[mm] [g/m2] at 2% strain at 5% strain ultimate
polypropylene
approx. 31 240 16 32 40
(PP)

Table 1. Physical properties of biaxial geogrid installed at Sava site and at Dolga Gora site

2.3 Reinforcement of ballast layer in Sava site, Slovenia

On the old ballasted railway track of the railway line Ljubljana-Maribor, section Litija-Sava, formation of
mud spots has been observed. Geotechnical investigation showed that approximately 50 cm of ballast is
placed directly on the ground consisting of weak subgrade material. Although the track is elevated ap-
proximately 5 m above existing ground level, pumping of pore water under traffic loading conditions
have been observed. The track was constructed by alternately concrete and wooden sleepers, what caused
also alternating rigid and flexible base conditions that further contributed to the deterioration of track.
Rehabilitation of the railway track needed to be performed with as less as possible traffic disruption,
thus only limited intervention for the rehabilitation of the most critical points has been performed in 2012.
Ballast has been replaced on a short section of the track. A geocomposite reinforcement product consist-
ing of a laid and welded geogrid and separation and filtration geotextile has been installed under the bal-
last in that part of the section over a length of approximately 10 m (Figure 8) at a depth of 30 cm below
the sleeper. In total 14 strain gauges were installed on the geogrid to measure deformation of the geogrid
in transversal and longitudinal direction, half of them under the sleeper and others between two sleepers
on various distances from the centre line. Detailed location of the strain gauges is denoted in Figure 9.
Two extensiometers with a length of approximately 4.5 m were installed inside the ballast at a depth just
above the geogrid. While one extensiometer has been installed in the part of the section where the ballast
has been reinforced, the second extensiometer was installed in the rehabilitated part without reinforce-
ment later in 2013. Both locations are shown in Figure 8 (right).

Figure 8. Reconstruction of ballast layer in Sava site; (left) under ballast reinforcement and (right) location of reinforced and
unreinforced section.

Figure 9. Location of strain gauges and extensiometer (red) in the reinforced part of the section, Sava site
 3 MONITORING RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Reinforcement of sub-ballast layer

The geogrid installed under the sub-ballast layer at the Dolga Gora test section has been used for more
than 5 years to date. Strain that developed in geogrid during and immediately after the installation has
been more or less constant for the whole period. Figure 10 compares strain developed in longitudinal and
transversal direction. The measured results show very low peak strains around 0.34 % in transverse direc-
tion and around 0.27 % in longitudinal direction in average. Comparisons of transversal with longitudinal
strains in the geogrid indicate that longitudinal strains reach about 2/3 of the transverse strains.
The higher strains in transverse direction can be explained by the additional thrust forces that have to
be absorbed by the geogrid due to lateral spreading of the embankment. It is obvious that the range of
strain that developed within the geogrid in longitudinal and transversal direction is much lower than the
strain level at failure. Anyway, strain in the geogrid decreased slightly in the first few months of the mon-
itoring period and stayed more or less at a constant level for the next five years of monitoring. As can be
seen from the results of long term monitoring (Figure 10), creep deformations in this condition of use can
be neglected.
Figure 11 compares transversal strain measured by strain gauges applied to geogrid installed at the
bottom of the sub-ballast layer, 1.0 m below the sleeper, and strain measured by the extensiometer in-
stalled approx. 20 cm above the geogrid. A huge difference in strain magnitude can be observed in Figure
11 (left), while the general trend of measured strains is similar. The extensiometer exhibits almost 4-times
larger strain compared to the strain gauges attached to the geogrid. On the other hand, very similar values
are presented in Figure 11 (right), where we assumed the initialization of monitoring on the second day
after the completion of construction works. This could be explained by movements of the sub-ballast lay-
er in the first two days until optimum interlock of the aggregate with the geogrid was achieved. Some
slight relaxation in the geogrid can be observed in long-term period, most probably caused by creep ef-
fects in the granular material itself.

Figure 10. Monitored geogrid strain in (left) longitudinal and (right) transversal direction, at the bottom of sub-ballast layer at
depth 1.0 m below the sleeper in period of 5 years.

Figure 11. Transversal strain measured by strain gauges applied to geogrid and the one measured by extensiometer at the bot-
tom of sub-ballast layer, 1.0 m below the sleeper: (left) initial measurement taken immediately after construction, (right) the
initiation of monitoring was assumed on the second day after completed construction works
 3.2 Reinforcement of ballast layer
The geogrid was installed 30 cm below the sleeper in the test section at Sava site. The development of
geogrid strain in transversal and longitudinal direction has been monitored for almost 2 years. Figures 12
and 13 show the longitudinal strain development in that period. Strain was measured in the centre line of
the railway track (1vzd, 1vzdR) and at a distance 80 cm away from the centre line (3vzd, 3vzdR) (see
Figure 9). The latter location is exactly below the rail. As can be seen from figures 12 and 13, additional
maintenance work (tamping) has been performed approximately 150 days after the establishment of the
test section. It seems that tamping caused failure of the strain gauge 3vzdR below the junction of sleeper
and rail, where the tamping is actually performed (Figure 12 left), while it caused noticeable increase of
longitudinal strain measured below the rail between two sleepers. On the other hand, tamping had no im-
pact on the development of longitudinal strain in the centre line of railway track. Similarly, no effect of
tamping was noticed in transversal direction (Figure 13).
Surprisingly, the very low range of strain measured in the geogrid at the bottom of the ballast layer (30
cm below sleepers) is comparable to the range measured at the geogrid at the bottom of the sub-ballast
layer (1.0 m below sleepers). As can be seen in the geogrid at the bottom of the ballast (Figure 12 and
13), the range of strain depends noticeable on the exact location regarding the location of the rail and is
more pronounced in longitudinal direction at locations near to rail (effect of tamping) and in transversal
direction between the rails.
A comparison between horizontal transversal strain measured by strain gauges applied to the geogrid
and horizontal transversal strain of the ballast layer measured by the installed extensiometer is shown in
Figure 14. Again, very pronounced the effect of tamping can be seen. Similar to the results presented for
the sub-ballast layer, the extensiometer also exhibits approximately 3 to 4-times larger strains compared
to strain measured by the gauges applied to the geogrid, if the effect of tamping is eliminated.
Furthermore, as explained above, a comparative test section with no use of reinforcement has been es-
tablished at the Sava site. Horizontal transversal strain has been measured for a limited period of time by
the extensiometers installed at the bottom of the ballast layer. As can be seen in Figure 15, a noticeable
difference in the magnitude of strain that has developed can be observed.

Figure 12. Longitudinal geogrid strain measured (left) under sleeper and (right) between two sleepers at depth 30 cm below
the sleeper.

Figure 13. Transversal geogrid strain measured (left) under sleeper and (right) between two sleepers at depth 30 cm below the
sleeper.
Figure 14. Comparison between transversal strain measured Figure 15. Horizontal transversal strain measured by exten-
by strain gauges applied to geogrid and the one measured by siometer at the bottom of ballast layer 30 cm below the
extensiometer at the bottom of ballast layer, 30 cm below sleepers in the case when ballast layer is reinforced by ge-
the sleepers ogrid and in the case if no reinforcement is used

4 CONCLUSIONS

Results from long term monitoring at two rehabilitated railway track sites in Slovenia are presented in
this paper. Rehabilitation of the railway track with installation of geogrid reinforcement at the bottom of
the ballast layer (30 cm below the sleeper) and at the bottom of sub-ballast layer (1.0 m below the sleep-
er) has been performed. Results from both sites show a similar range of developed horizontal strain in
case of deep and shallow location of the installed geogrid, while the strain of the latter is very much af-
fected also by the exact location regarding the rails and sleepers. It cannot really be excluded that this is
not the case for the geogrid installed under the sub-ballast layer as the strain gauges in this case were only
positioned in the centre line. The range of strain in longitudinal direction is about 2/3 of the transverse
strain, while both are less than half of the expected 1% strain in operating conditions for railway applica-
tions, and much less than the strain level at failure.
There is a noticeable impact of tamping upon the lateral deformation of the ballast or sub-ballast layer,
while tamping affects only longitudinal deformation of the shallow geogrid (at the bottom of ballast lay-
er). As expected, horizontal deformation of the unreinforced section is noticeable larger than horizontal
deformation in the reinforced section. Due to interaction of the geogrid with the ballast and sub-ballast
aggregate, lateral deformation is efficiently reduced.
Strain in geogrid installed at the bottom of the sub-ballast layer decreased slightly in first few months
of monitoring and remained more or less at a constant level for the next five years of monitoring, thus
creep inside the geogrid is assumed to be negligible. For more accurate conclusions regarding the creep
effect in the geogrid installed underneath the ballast layer, monitoring should continue for a longer period
although it seems that no continuous increase in strain might be expected.

5 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The research has been supported by EC funding within the FP7 EU research project “Sustainable Mainte-
nance and Analysis of Rail Transport Infrastructure (SMART Rail)”, under the program SST.2011.5.2-6.
TPT; Theme: Cost-effective improvement of rail transport infrastructure.

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Perkins, S.W. 1999. Geosynthetic Reinforcement of Flexible Pavements: Laboratory Based Pavement Test Sections. U.S. De-
partment of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC, Report No. FHWA/MT-99/8106-1, 140 p.
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