Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201

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Transportation Geotechnics
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/trgeo

Original Article

Mechanical performance of CRTS II slab tracks in reinforced-unreinforced

transition zone in extreme heat events
Yang Li a, b, Haiyan Li c, Rui Zhou d, *, Jinjie Chen a, b, Ying Song a, b, Kailin Cao a, b
a
Key Laboratory of Roads and Railway Engineering Safety Control (Shijiazhuang Tiedao University), Ministry of Education, Shijiazhuang 050043, China
b
State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and System Safety of Traffic Engineering Structures, Shijiazhuang Tiedao University, Shijiazhuang 050043, China
c
Department of Traffic, Shijiazhuang Institute of Railway Technology, Shijiazhuang 050041, China
d
National Key Laboratory of Green and Long-Life Road Engineering in Extreme Environment (Shenzhen), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Anchors have been widely utilized to reinforce the CRTS II slab tracks. The mechanical performance of the tracks
Slab track in the reinforced-unreinforced transition zone exposed to extreme heat waves can be very complex due to the
Finite element model difference in mechanical properties between the two kinds of track segments. This paper investigates the damage
Reinforced-unreinforced transition zone
behavior of the tracks in the reinforced-unreinforced transition zone in extreme heat events. A finite element
Temperature gradient
Post-installed reinforcement
model of the CRTS II slab track in the transition zone has been established and validated, in which the nonlinear
Interface adhesives mechanical properties of track materials and interfaces are considered by applying the Concrete Damaged
Plasticity model and the Cohesive Zone Model respectively. The nonlinear temperature field in the track
structure in extreme heat events is applied to the model. Structural damage of the track, including slab-end
arching and interfacial failure, in the transition zone under extreme heat is thoroughly investigated. In partic­
ular, the effects of joint use of post-installed reinforcement anchors and other track maintenance measures like
interface adhesives and concrete joint restoration are studied. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) The more
reinforced track-slabs in the transition zone, the milder the track diseases including slab-end arching and
interfacial gapping. (2) Joint use of anchor installation and other maintenance measures such as interface ad­
hesives and concrete joint restoration shows a better effect on mitigating track damage than using post-installed
reinforcement anchors solely. (3) Concrete joint restoration overweighs interface adhesives in terms of reducing
slab-end arching and interfacial damage when they are jointly used with post-installed reinforcement anchors.
(4) In the transition zone, track damage surges when the air temperature increases from 42 ℃ to 47 ℃, which is
the temperature range for an extreme heat wave. Monitoring of track state in the transition zones is necessary
during extreme heat waves. The novel findings are expected to provide some insights into the mechanical per­
formance of slab tracks and help to prevent potential damage to the tracks in the transition zone, which is a
common and practical issue in railway engineering.

Introduction Lethal extreme heat events can be intensified in a warming climate. A

Global warming has been an irreversible trend due to human-caused
greenhouse gas emissions. The World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) confirmed on 14 August 2023 that July 2023, which was estimated
to have been about 1.5 ◦ C higher than the pre-industrial levels, is the
hottest month since records began on Earth [1]. What’s more, according to
WMO, it is expected that temperatures in most parts of the world will
further rise in the future, with the possibility of record-high temperatures
within five years. By the end of this century, the global average tempera­
ture is estimated to be 3.2 ℃ above pre-industrial average [2].
new temperature record for continental Europe hit 48.8 ◦ C measured in
Sicily, Italy on 11 August 2021, according to WMO [3]. A daily
maximum temperature reached 49.0 ◦ C in Jacobabad, Pakistan on 30
April 2022 [4]. Extreme heat weather poses a great challenge not only to
people’s health but also to the reliability and serviceability of civil en­
gineering infrastructures, for instance, railway tracks.
Railway tracks, designed as a solid and stable foundation for running
trains [5,6], is sensitive to environmental conditions, such as tempera­
ture changes [7,8]. The buckling of traditional ballasted tracks in the
lateral direction is one of the most common track failures caused by high

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: zhourui@szu.edu.cn (R. Zhou).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2024.101201
Received 22 October 2023; Received in revised form 12 December 2023; Accepted 4 February 2024
Available online 6 February 2024
2214-3912/© 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Y. Li et al.
Fig. 1. CRTS II slab tracks.
Fig. 2. Original and reinforced tracks.
temperatures in summer and can be dangerous since it may cause train
derailment [9]. In recent decades, more advanced ballastless tracks have
been widely used in high-speed railways, subways, railways for trams,
and so on [10–12]. Techniques to improve the serviceability of bal­
lastless tracks, including novel methods to identify tracks’ damage and
evaluate track quality, have been developed [13–17]. It has been clear
that ballastless tracks have the advantages of better alignment, stability,
and durability over ballasted tracks [18,19]. However, some ballastless
Fig. 3. Locations of Post-installed reinforcement anchors in a slab.
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Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201
tracks like longitudinally continuous unballasted tracks for trams in
Europe and the CRTS (China Railway Track System) II slab tracks are
still prone to damage induced by high temperatures [20,21].
CRTS II slab tracks, widely used in high-speed railways, consist of
pre-manufactured rails and fasteners, prefabricated track-slabs, and on-
site-cast concrete base, mortar layers, and T-shaped concrete joints, as
shown in Fig. 1. When the temperature peaks in summer, enormous
longitudinal stresses can be induced in the tracks because of their lon­
gitudinal connectivity [22]. In that case, some weak links in the tracks,
usually the on-site-cast concrete joints, may deform significantly. For
instance, the concrete joints and neighboring slab ends can arch, as
shown in Fig. 2(a). In the most dangerous cases, the track slabs may
buckle vertically. In a word, the intensifying extreme heat poses a great
threat to the safety of CRTS II slab tracks.
In East China, where CRTS II slab tracks have been utilized in mul­
tiple high-speed railways including Shanghai-Hangzhou High-Speed
Railway and Nanjing-Hangzhou High-Speed Railway, some pre-
reinforcement measures have been taken to prevent potential failure
of the tracks in the future’s extreme heat events. Reinforcement anchors
have been installed in the tracks to strengthen them and thus improve
their resistance to vertical buckling, as shown in Fig. 2(b). Experimental
[23], numerical [24] studies, and field investigations [25] indicated that
the post-installed reinforcement anchors are effective in reducing heat-
related damage to the tracks.
In North China, where the maximum temperatures have long been
expected to be lower than the East China, the pre-reinforcement mea­
sure are not taken. However, the dramatic change in climate makes
extreme heat waves in North China much more likely than before. In
June 2023, the highest temperature in Beijing reached 41.1 ℃. A pre­
diction indicated that the temperature in Beijing in extreme heat events
may exceed 46 ℃ in the future [26]. In conclusion, it is of great necessity
to take some pre-reinforcement measures to prevent heat-induced fail­
ure of CRTS II slab tracks in North China. In fact, post-installed rein­
forcement anchors are now under consideration for practical use in some
high-speed railways in North China.
The difference in mechanical performance between the original
tracks (unreinforced tracks) and the tracks reinforced by post-installed
reinforcement anchors has been highlighted in previous studies. Gao
et al. [27] and Cai et al. [28] used the finite element method to analyze
the influence of the interlayer bonding conditions and the concrete joint
damage on the arching deformation of the original tracks. Xu et al. [29]
studied the influence of interfacial bonding on the deformation char­
acteristics of the unreinforced track subjected to temperature change. Li
et al. [30] used the cohesive force model to analyze the effects of the
interfacial bonding between track slabs and mortar layers on the stress
state of the concrete joints. Zhou et al. [31,32] conducted experiments to
study the structural damage behavior of the unreinforced CRTS II slab
tracks.
For the tracks reinforced by post-installed anchors, Li et al. analyzed
the effects of post-installed reinforcement anchors on mitigating the
interfacial damage between track slabs and mortar layers [24]. Ren [33]
conducted a numerical study on the effect of the number of post-
Y. Li et al. Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201

Fig. 4. Quantities of Post-installed reinforcement anchors in the transition zone.

Fig. 5. Experimental setup of anchor pull-out tests.

installed reinforcement anchors on the arch deformation of CRTS II slab
tracks. Feng et al. [34] study the seismic performance of CRTS II slab
tracks reinforced by post-installed reinforcement anchors by the exper­
imental method. Yuan et al. [35] analyzed the influence of the size and
material parameters of post-installed reinforcement anchors on the local
stress state of CRTS II slab tracks. Li et al. investigated the structural
responses of CRTS II slab tracks under extreme heat waves before and
after the use of post-installed reinforcement anchors [36].
Special attention should be paid to the transition zones of railways
since tracks in those sections are more prone to damage due to the sig­
nificant change of mechanical properties [37,38]. For high-speed rail­
ways over hundreds of kilometers, reinforcement anchor installation can
never be completed in a short period of time. Therefore, there must be
plenty of transition zones between reinforced and unreinforced track
segments during the installation of anchors. Due to the difference in
mechanical properties between the two kinds of track segments, the

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Y. Li et al. Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201

Fig. 6. Modelling of the post-installed anchor structure.

Fig. 7. Finite element model of the track.

Fig. 8. Concrete damaged plasticity model and cohesive zone model.

performance of the tracks in the reinforced-unreinforced transition zone waves. However, no study has been published on this topic.
can be more complex than the reinforced or unreinforced tracks, espe­ This paper is thus motivated to investigate the damage behavior of
cially when the tracks in the transition zone are exposed to extreme heat CRTS II slab tracks in the reinforced-unreinforced transition zone in

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Y. Li et al.
Fig. 9. Interface restoration using adhesives and anchors.
Fig. 10. Temperature distribution in track slabs in extreme heat events.
extreme heat events. A finite element model of the CRTS II slab track on
a viaduct in the transition zone has been established and validated, in
which the nonlinear mechanical properties of track materials and in­
terfaces are considered by applying the concrete damaged plasticity
model and the cohesive zone model respectively. The nonlinear tem­
perature field in the track structure in extreme heat events is applied to
the finite element model. Structural damage of the track, including slab-
end arching and interfacial failure, in the reinforced-unreinforced
transition zone under extreme heat is thoroughly investigated. In
particular, the effects of the combined use of post-installed reinforce­
ment anchors and other track maintenance measures like interface ad­
hesives and concrete joint restoration are studied. The novel findings in
this paper are expected to provide some insights into the mechanical
performance of slab tracks and help to prevent potential damage to the
tracks in the transition zone, which is a common and practical issue in
railway engineering.
Practice of post-installed reinforcement
Locations of post-installed reinforcement anchors
Post-installed reinforcement anchors with a diameter of 27 mm and a
length of 350 mm have been widely used to reinforce CRTS II slab tracks
in recent years. In practice, to mitigate slab-end arching of CRTS II slab
tracks induced by temperature rise in summer, anchors have been
symmetrically installed at the two ends of a track slab. In the most
common case, four anchors are installed in a track slab, as shown in
Fig. 3. The embedment depths of an anchor in the track slab, mortar
layer, and concrete base are 160 mm, 30 mm, and 160 mm respectively.
Adhesives have been used to bond the anchors and concrete.
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Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201
For high-speed railways, viaducts are more popular than subgrade
since the former occupies less land area than the latter. Viaducts with 32
m simply-supported girders have been widely utilized in high-speed
railways. For a track segment on a viaduct with a 32 m simply-
supported girder in the reinforced-unreinforced transition zone, there
can be different scenarios of anchor quantities and locations. For high-
speed railways over hundreds of kilometers, when reinforcement an­
chor installation is not completed at one time, the boundaries of
reinforced-unreinforced transition zones are possible to be located in
between the two ends of the bridge. Therefore, it is necessary to consider
different scenarios of anchor quantities and locations on one viaduct. In
general, 1 to 5 slabs of the 5 slabs are reinforced by post-installed
reinforcement anchors respectively, as shown in Fig. 4.
Bond-slip relationship between anchors and concrete
In order to analyze the mechanical performance of the track in the
transition zone, it is necessary to know the bond-slip relationship be­
tween anchors and concrete. The two ends of an anchor are embedded in
the track-slab and the concrete base respectively. The concrete strength
grade of track slabs and concrete bases is C55 and C30 respectively. The
difference in concrete strength can affect the bond performance.
Therefore, pull-out tests for both concrete strength grades should be
conducted. Based on the pull-out tests depicted in Fig. 5, the bond-slip
relationship between the anchors and the concrete whose strength
grade is C55, is as follows [23]:
{
30.15S, 0 ≤ S < 0.26
τ= (1)
6.181(S − 0.26) + 7.839, 0.26 ≤ S < 1.091
In which τ is the average bond stress, measured in MPa, and S is the
average relative slip, measured in mm.
The bond-slip relationship between the anchors and the concrete
whose strength grade is C30is as follows [23]:
⎧
⎨ 20.043S, 0 ≤ S < 0.317
τ = − 1.897S2 + 7.748S + 4.082, 0.317 ≤ S < 2.042 (2)
⎩
− 0.574S + 13.164, 2.042 ≤ S < 4.446
Modeling of the anchoring structure
Currently, there are two main methods for the numerical simulation
of anchoring structures in slab tracks. One is the detailed modeling
method, which models all the interactions in the anchoring structure,
including the anchor, adhesive, surrounding concrete, and the interac­
tion between the anchor-adhesive interface and the adhesive-concrete
interface. However, if this method is used to establish the anchoring
structure model, the meshes need to be very fine since the thickness of
the adhesive is very small, which will greatly increase the computational
cost. In addition, it is not easy to obtain the constitutive relationship
parameters of the anchor-adhesive interface and the adhesive-concrete
interface. The second method is the two-point connection method,
which simulates an anchor by using a spring element to connect a node
on the track slab and a node on the concrete base slab. The disadvantage
of this method is that it is too simplified and cannot reflect the bending
resistance characteristics of the anchor.
In view of the shortcomings of the above methods, this paper pro­
poses a simulation method that balances computational efficiency and
result accuracy. Since the bond-slip relationship between the anchor and
the concrete obtained from the experiments in this paper already in­
cludes the double bond interface and the deformation of the adhesive, it
can be used to connect the anchor and the concrete directly. Thus, the
adhesive between the anchor and the concrete can be ignored in the
model. Note here that the bond-slip relationship between the anchor and
the concrete obtained from the experiments is used to characterize their
pull-out interaction (vertical to the track). In the lateral and longitudinal
directions of the anchoring structure (as well as the track), spring
Y. Li et al. Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201

Fig. 11. Development of the vertical displacement of slab 4# in the lateral path.

Fig. 6. Then, spring elements are used to connect each anchor node and
the corresponding concrete node in three directions. The validation of
the proposed the anchoring structure model can be found in [24].

Numerical modeling of the track

Track structure

A finite element model of a CRTS II slab track segment was estab­

lished to investigate the mechanical performance of the track. As illus­
trated in Fig. 7, the model incorporates track components such as rails,
track slabs, T-shaped joints, a mortar layer, and a concrete base, which
are simulated by the solid element C3D8R. Post-installed reinforcement
anchors and reinforcement rebars in the track structure are simulated by
the beam element B33 and the truss element T3D2 respectively. Fas­
teners are represented by the spring element, whose force–displacement
relationship can be found in Reference [23]. Rail supports were not
modelled in the finite element model of the CRTS II slab track since they
Fig. 12. Development of the vertical displacement of slab 4# at point B.
have little effect on the deformation of the track. The length of the CRTS
II slab track segment is 32.45 m, containing 5 track-slabs and equal to
elements with a stiffness of 1 × 108 N/mm have been used to connect
the length of a 32 m simply-supported beam girder.
each anchor node and concrete node in the same position.
In order to mimic the backing of the viaduct beneath the track, the
The anchor is simulated by the beam element which can characterize
vertical displacement of the concrete base has been restricted. In addi­
the tensile, compressive, and bending resistance properties of the an­
tion, to emulate the limitation set by the adjacent track sections, both
chor. The concrete is simulated by solid elements. The spatial positions
extremities of the track model have been secured.
of the nodes of the anchor and concrete are consistent, as shown in

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Fig. 13. Development of D of the interface in the lateral path.

Properties of materials and interfaces

The nonlinearity of material constitutive relationships and interface

interactions has been considered in the finite element model. The
constitutive relationships of concrete in the track structure are repli­
cated using a concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) model shown in Fig. 8
(a) [24]. The parameters for the CDP model and material parameters for
the track components are given in Reference [24]. To accurately
represent the nonlinear bond-slip relationships at the interfaces between
the track slabs and the mortar layer, a cohesive zone model (CZM), as
detailed in Fig. 8(b), is utilized. This model effectively mirrors the me­
chanical behavior of these interfaces, which are susceptible to issues
such as interface debonding and gapping. The details and parameters of
the CZM for the interfaces are presented in Reference [24]. For the
remaining structural interfaces in the model, a tie constraint has been
implemented.

Modelling of interface and joint restoration

Interfacial debonding and gaping between the track slabs and the
Fig. 14. Development of D of the interface at point A.
mortar layers has been one of the most common structural damage types
for CRTS II slab tracks. Studies indicated the difference in thermal
properties between concrete and mortar materials, poor construction
A cast-in-place concrete joint consists of two sections. The bottom
quality, and dramatic temperature change may contribute to the inter­
section is a narrow joint, measuring 50 mm in width, while the top
face failure. In practice, adhesives have been utilized to restore the failed
section is a wider joint, with a width of 210 mm. During construction,
interfaces between the track slabs and the mortar layers of CRTS II slab
compacting concrete at the narrow joints can be challenging, potentially
tracks, as shown in Fig. 9. Experimental tests indicated the bond strength
resulting in reduced strength and compromised joint integrity. Field
of the restored interfaces can be significantly improved, up to 10 times of
observations have revealed that some narrow joints have sustained
the original bond strength [39]. Xu et al. found that the bond-slip re­
complete damage, rendering them incapable of bearing any load. In a
lationships of the restored interfaces can also be simulated by the CZM
track composed of five slabs, it’s not uncommon for one out of the four
[40]. The parameters of the CZM for the interfaces restored by adhesive
joints to be impaired. During the summer months, the ends of the slabs
can be found in Reference [36]. It should be mentioned that the inter­
often arch at the site of the damaged joint due to thermal expansion,
facial failure is so common that post-installed reinforcements and
which can influence the structural performance of the track. Conse­
interface adhesives are often used jointly.
quently, this typical track damage scenario necessitates the study of
The impairment of narrow joints is replicated by eliminating the
track deformation and interfacial damage. To simulate this joint defect,
elements at the lower section of the T-shaped joints in the finite element
the elements in the lower part of the T-shaped concrete joint between
analysis. The restoration of the impaired joints primarily encompasses
slab 4# and slab 5# were entirely eliminated. The remaining T-shaped
strategies such as patching and complete reconstruction of the T-shaped
joints in Fig. 7 are considered intact. As shown in Fig. 7, a lateral path
joints. In the finite element analysis, the restored T-shaped joints are
and two points (A and B) on slab 4# are defined. Note here that the path
emulated by model unblemished joint structures.
and the points are located on the lower surface of the track slab.

Temperature field of tracks in extreme heat events

During the peak of summer, the vertical temperature distribution

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Y. Li et al. Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201

Fig. 15. Contours of vertical displacement of slabs with different quantities of reinforced slabs.

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Y. Li et al.
Fig. 16. Vertical displacement distribution of slab 4# in the lateral path.
profile within the track slabs of CRTS II slab tracks is nonlinear, best
represented by a quadratic function [41,42]. This study assumes the
maximum atmospheric temperature in extreme heat events to be 47℃
[26]. The vertical temperature distribution profile in the track slabs in
extreme heat events at an atmospheric temperature of 47 ℃ is given by:
T(z) = 46 + 29z + 330z2 (3)
Here, T(z) represents the temperature of the track at the location of z,
and z signifies the height to the lower surface of track slabs, measured in
meters.
Fig. 10 illustrates the nonlinear temperature distributions in track
slabs of the CRTS II slab track in extreme heat events (EHE). The track’s
construction temperature (CT) is assumed to be 15 ℃, a temperature at
which the CRTS II slab track experience “zero thermal stress”, indicating
that the track structures have not been subjected to thermal stress during
their construction. It’s important to note that when the atmospheric
temperature is moderate, the vertical temperature distribution in the
track slabs is linear and closely matches the atmospheric temperature.
Hence, the track’s construction temperature is assumed to be equivalent
to the corresponding atmospheric temperature of 15 ℃. It should be
note that there can be a longitudinal temperature gradient in the
viaduct-tunnel transition zone, but it is not considered in this paper.
Model validation
Li [43] carried out a comprehensive test on the deformation of a
section of the CRTS II slab track with five track slabs, which can be used
as a verification for the finite element model discussed in this paper. For
an in-depth explanation of the model validation, see Reference [36].
Results underscore the proficiency of the finite element model in pre­
cisely replicating the mechanical behavior of the CRTS II slab track.
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Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201
Results and discussion
Effects of the quantity of reinforced slabs in the transition zone
Development of track damage
Fig. 11 presents the development of slab-end arching, one of the most
comment diseases of CRTS II slab tracks [28], with increasing air tem­
perature. It can be seen from Fig. 11(a) that for the unreinforced track (0
slab reinforced), the vertical displacement of the slab rises mildly with a
growing temperature below 42 ℃ which can be considered as the limit
of normal heat [36]. When the air temperature increases from 42 ℃ to
47 ℃, which is the temperature range for an extreme heat event, the
vertical displacement surges. In addition, the vertical displacement in
the middle of the lateral path is larger than its two ends, which is caused
by the effects of a positive temperature gradient in summer [41]. As
depicted in Fig. 11(b) and Fig. 11(c), when 1 and 3 slabs are reinforced
by post-installed anchors, the vertical displacement shows the same
development trend as that in Fig. 11(a). However, the maximum vertical
displacement can be lowered if more slabs are reinforced in the transi­
tion zone. As demonstrated in Fig. 11(d), when all of the 5 slabs are
reinforced, the vertical displacement is minor even when the air tem­
perature is 47 ℃. Furthermore, due to the effects of post-installed an­
chors, the vertical displacement in the middle of the lateral path does not
exceed that at two ends of the lateral path in Fig. 11(d), which is
different from other scenarios.
Fig. 12 shows the development of the vertical displacement of slab
4# at point B, which is located in the middle of the lateral path. It can be
found from the figure that the curves of 0 to 3 reinforced slabs in the
transition zone follows the similar nonlinear development trend. It can
be seen clearly that those curves contain two stages, and the vertical
displacement increases significantly in the stage II. Only when there are
4 or 5 reinforced slabs in the transition zone, the surge of the vertical
displacement can be mitigated, showing the necessity to reinforce all the
slabs on a viaduct.
Development of the damage variable D of the interface between slab
4# and the mortar layer in the lateral path with rising temperature is
shown in Fig. 13. It can be known from Fig. 13(a) that for the scenario in
Y. Li et al. Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201

Fig. 18. Effects of reinforcement and adhesive on the development of the

vertical displacement of slab 4# at point B.

gapping usually emerge in this location. It can be found from the figure
that interfacial damage occurs within a narrow temperature range for
different quantities of anchor-reinforced slabs in the transition zone.
However, when the air temperature continues to rise, D for the scenarios
of 0 to 3 reinforced slabs increases more rapidly than that for 4 or 5
reinforced slabs. When the air temperature reaches its highest of 47 ℃,
the interface at point A fails for the scenarios of 0 to 4 reinforced slabs
and keeps damaged but not separated for the scenarios of 5 reinforced
slabs in the transition zone.
Fig 17. Contours of damage of the interface between slab 4# and the mortar
Track damage pattern
layer with different quantities of reinforced slabs.
Fig. 15 depicts the contours of the vertical displacement of slabs with
different quantities of reinforced slabs in the transition zone when the
which 1 slab is reinforced in the transition zone, the interface remains
air temperature reaches its highest of 47 ℃, which is the air temperature
intact when the air temperature is below 19 ℃. As the air temperature
in extreme heat waves. It can be seen from Fig. 15(a) that there is no
continues to go up, interfacial damage occurs along the whole lateral
anchor-reinforced slab, the ends of slabs neighboring the pre-damaged
path and experiences a nonlinear rise. When the air temperature nears
joint, namely, slab 4# and slab 5# arch pronouncedly. The maximum
approximately 40℃, interface debonding happens along the entire
vertical displacement can be 10.2 mm. Slab-end arching like this can be
lateral path. This could accelerate track deterioration as water can seep
dangerous since it may lead to severe track failure and train derailments
through the track laterally [39]. It can be found from Fig. 13(b) that
[27]. As demonstrated in Fig. 15(b) and Fig. 15(c), when 1 and 3 slabs
when there are 5 slabs reinforced in the transition zone, the interface
are reinforced by post-installed anchors, the vertical displacement
along the lateral path exhibits the similar evolution trend as that in
shows the same distribution pattern as that in Fig. 15(a), while the
Fig. 13(b).
maximum vertical displacement can be lowered if more slabs are rein­
Fig. 14 depicts the development of D of the interface at point A,
forced in the transition zone. As shown in Fig. 11(d), when all of the 5
which is located at the edge of slab tracks. Interfacial debonding and
slabs are reinforced, distribution pattern of the vertical displacement is

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Y. Li et al.
Fig. 19. Effects of reinforcement and adhesive on the development of D of the
interface at point A.
completely different from previous scenarios. The arching at the slab-
ends near the pre-damaged joint has been significantly mitigated as
the maximum vertical displacement is only about 12 % of that for the
scenario without reinforced slabs.
Fig. 16 shows the vertical displacement distribution of slab 4# in the
lateral path for different quantities of reinforced slabs in the transition
zone. The definition of the lateral path with a length of 2.55 m in slab 4
# can be found in Fig. 7. It can be found from Fig. 16 that the vertical
displacement decreases with increasing quantities of reinforced slabs. In
addition, it can be seen that there are two arching modes for the slab-
end. When there are 0 to 3 reinforced slabs in the transition zone, the
vertical displacement in the middle of the lateral path is larger than the
two path ends. However, where there are 4 or 5 reinforced slabs, the
vertical displacement in the middle of the lateral path does not exceed
that at two ends of the lateral path due to the effects of post-installed
anchors on limiting track deformation. Furthermore, when there are 4
or 5 reinforced slabs, the magnitude of slab-end arching is significantly
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Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201
Fig. 20. Effects of reinforcement and adhesive on the maximum vertical
displacement of slab 4# at point B.
small than that of the scenarios with less reinforced slabs in the transi­
tion zone.
Contours of damage of the interface between slab 4# and the mortar
layer with different quantities of reinforced slabs when the air temper­
ature is 47 ℃ are presented in Fig. 17. It can be found that when 0 or 1
slab is reinforced in the transition zone, most area of the interface fails.
When 3 slabs are reinforced, the damage at the left end of the interface
becomes milder than the scenarios with less reinforced slabs. When
there are 5 anchor-reinforced slabs, the interfacial damage exhibits a
new pattern. The locations of post-installed anchors show milder inter­
face damage than other area, while interfacial failure still emerges at the
right end since it is adjacent to the pre-damaged joint.
Combined use of anchors and interface adhesive
Adhesives have been utilized to restore the failed interfaces between
track slabs and mortar layers of CRTS II slab tracks [40]. Since interfacial
gapping is one of the most common diseases of the slab tracks, it has
been a common practice to use post-installed reinforcement anchors and
interface adhesives jointly to restore the slab tracks to prevent both the
slab-end arching and interfacial gapping. Fig. 18 shows the effects of the
joint use of reinforcement and adhesive on the development of the
vertical displacement of slab 4# at point B. It can be found from Fig. 18
(a) that when slab 1# is reinforced by post-installed anchors and
interface adhesive, the curve of the vertical displacement with rising air
temperature is quite close to that for the scenario using post-installed
anchors solely. It can be seen from Fig. 18(b) that when all of the 5
slabs are reinforced by both post-installed anchors and interface adhe­
sive, the vertical displacement grows more slowly than the scenario
using post-installed anchors solely. The maximum vertical displacement
for the track applying both measures is only around 54 % of that using
post-installed anchors.
Fig. 19 indicates the effects of reinforcement and adhesive on the
development of D of the interface at point A. As suggested in Fig. 19(a),
compared with post-installed anchors, the joint use of both measures
does change the development trend of interfacial damage with rising
temperature significantly when the measures are applied to 1 slab.
However, as shown in Fig. 19(b), when the two measures are used
jointly in 5 slabs, interfacial damage initiates at a much higher tem­
perature than using post-installed anchors exclusively. In addition, the
interface of the track applying both measures experiences much milder
damage with rising temperature than the track using post-installed
anchors.
Fig. 20 shows the effects of reinforcement and adhesive on the
maximum vertical displacement of slab 4# at point B when the air
Y. Li et al.
Fig. 21. Effects of anchor reinforcement and joint restoration on the develop­
ment of the vertical displacement of slab 4# at point B.
temperature peaks at 47 ℃. It can be seen that the joint use of the two
measures can lower the maximum vertical displacement for different
quantities of reinforced slabs.
Combined use of anchor reinforcement and joint restoration
Fig. 21 demonstrates the effects of the combined use of reinforcement
anchors and joint restoration on the development of the vertical
displacement of slab 4# at point B. It can be found from Fig. 21(a) that
when slab 1# is reinforced by post-installed anchors and the damaged
concrete joint between slab 4# and slab 5# is restored, the curve of the
vertical displacement with rising air temperature is significantly flattened
compared with the scenario using post-installed anchors solely. The same
effect of the joint use of both measures in 5 slabs can be found in Fig. 21(b),
suggesting the importance of repairing damage concrete joint in time.
Fig. 22 demonstrates the effects of joint use of anchor reinforcement
and concrete joint restoration on the development of D of the interface at
12
Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201
Fig. 22. Effects of anchor reinforcement and joint restoration on the develop­
ment of D of the interface at point A.
point A. As suggested in Fig. 22(a) and Fig. 22(b), when slab 1# is
reinforced by post-installed anchors and the damaged concrete joint
between slab 4# and slab 5# is restored, D keeps as zero with increasing
temperature, indicating that concrete joint restoration plays a crucial
role in preventing interfacial damage.
Fig. 23 indicates the effects of anchor reinforcement and joint
restoration on the maximum vertical displacement of slab 4# at point B
when the air temperature peaks at 47 ℃. It can be seen from the figure
that the combine use of the two measures can greatly reduce the
maximum vertical displacement. By comparing Fig. 23 and Fig. 20, it
can be known that concrete joint restoration has a much more significant
impact on slab-end arching.
Combined use of the three measures
The vertical displacement distribution of slab 4# in the lateral path
of the track with different measures can be seen in Fig. 24. It should be
Y. Li et al. Transportation Geotechnics 45 (2024) 101201

Fig. 23. Effects of anchor reinforcement and joint restoration on the maximum
vertical displacement of slab 4# at point B.

noted that R, I, and J refer to “Reinforcement”, “Interface adhesive”, and

“Joint restoration” respectively in Fig. 24. As shown in Fig. 24(a), when
slab 1# is reinforced by post-installed anchors, the implementation of
any other maintenance measure can reduce the vertical displacement in
the lateral path. In the scenarios of joint application of anchors and
another measure, the concrete joint restoration has a more significant
influence on reducing the vertical displacement than the interface ad­
hesive. The same conclusion can also be drawn when 5 slabs are rein­
forced, as shown in Fig. 24(b). In addition, joint use of the three
measures has the best effect on mitigating slab-end arching.
Fig. 25 shows the effects of the application of the three measures on
the maximum vertical displacement of slab 4# at point B when the air
temperature reaches its highest of 47 ℃. It can be seen from the figure
that the use of the three measures can greatly reduce the maximum
vertical displacement for scenarios with different quantities of rein­
forced slabs.

Conclusions

The mechanical performance of the CRTS II slab tracks in the
reinforced-unreinforced transition zone exposed to extreme heat waves
can be very complex due to the difference in mechanical properties
between the two kinds of track segments. This paper investigates the
damage behavior of the tracks in the reinforced-unreinforced transition
zone in extreme heat events. A finite element model of the CRTS II slab
track on a viaduct in the transition zone has been established and vali­
dated, in which the nonlinear mechanical properties of track materials
and interfaces are considered by applying the concrete damaged plas­
ticity model and the cohesive zone model respectively. The nonlinear
temperature field in the track structure in extreme heat events is applied
to the finite element model. Structural damage of the track, including
slab-end arching and interfacial failure, in the reinforced-unreinforced
transition zone under extreme heats is thoroughly investigated. In
particular, the effects of combine use of post-installed reinforcement
anchors and other track maintenance measure like interface adhesives
and concrete joint restoration are studied. The novel findings are ex­
pected to provide some insights into the mechanical performance of slab
tracks and help to prevent potential damage of the tracks in the transi­
tion zone, which is a common and practical issue in railway engineering.
The following conclusions are drawn:
Fig. 24. Vertical displacement distribution of slab 4# in the lateral path of the
track with different measures.
(1) The more reinforced track-slabs in the reinforced-unreinforced
transition zone, the milder the track diseases including slab-end
arching and interfacial gapping.
(2) Joint use of anchor installation and other maintenance measures
like interface adhesives and concrete joint restoration shows
better effects on mitigating track damage than using post-
installed reinforcement anchors solely.
(3) Concrete joint restoration overweighs interface adhesives in
terms of reducing slab-end arching and interfacial damage when
they are jointly used with post-installed reinforcement anchors.
(4) In the reinforced-unreinforced transition zone, track damage
surges when the air temperature increases from 42 ℃ to 47 ℃,
which is the temperature range for an extreme heat wave.
Monitoring of track state for the reinforced-unreinforced transi­
tion zone is necessary during extreme heat waves.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Yang Li: Writing – original draft, Investigation, Conceptualization.
Haiyan Li: Software, Formal analysis. Rui Zhou: Validation, Funding

13
Y. Li et al.
Fig. 25. Effects of three measures on the maximum vertical displacement of
slab 4# at point B.
acquisition, Conceptualization. Jinjie Chen: Supervision, Resources,
Project administration. Ying Song: Writing – original draft, Investiga­
tion, Conceptualization. Kailin Cao: Formal analysis.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence
the work reported in this paper.
Data availability
Data will be made available on request.
Acknowledgements
Financial support was provided by the National Key R&D Program
“Transportation Infrastructure” “Reveal the list and take command”
project (No.2022YFB2603301), the National Natural Science Founda­
tion of China (No.52278311, No. 52378454), the Shenzhen Science and
Technology Program (No. GJHZ20220913143006012), Central Leading
Local Science and Technology Development Fund Project (No.
236Z5402G), Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China
(E2022210086), Program for Introducing Overseas Scholars of Hebei
Province (No. C20230361), Science and Technology Research Project
for Higher Education in Hebei Province (No. BJK2024110), Independent
Research Project of the School of Civil Engineering, Shijiazhuang Tiedao
University (No. TMXN2304), Research and Development Project of
Science and Technology of China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (No.
K2022G038).
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