Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Trackbed and
Track Drainage
Synopsis
This document mandates
requirements for the design,
inspection and maintenance of the
trackbed and track drainage.
Submitted by
Contents
Section Description Page
Part A
A1 Issue record 2
A2 Implementation of this document 2
A3 Scope of Railway Group Standards 3
A4 Responsibilities 3
A5 Health and safety responsibilities 3
A6 Technical content 3
A7 Supply 3
Part B
B1 Purpose 5
B2 Application of this document 5
B3 Definitions 6
B4 Principles 7
B5 Introduction 7
Appendix
A Illustration of trackbed terminology 17
References 18
Part A
A1 Issue record
Issue Date Comments
One September 1995 Original document (titled ‘Track Standards
Manual - Section 6: Ballast and Formation’).
Two June 2003 Replaces issue one. Title revised to
‘Trackbed and Track Drainage’.
Requirements relating directly to lateral
track stability (for example, width of ballast
shoulders) transferred to GC/RT5021, issue
two.
Amended or additional parts of have not been marked by a vertical black line in
the adjacent margin since the document has been restructured.
A2 Implementation of
this document
The publication date of this document is 07 June 2003.
Sections 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 7.13, and 7.14 of GC/RT5014 Issue 1 will be superseded
by GC/RT5021 Issue 2 (anticipated October 2003).
A3 Scope of Railway
Group Standards
The overall scope of Railway Group Standards is set out in Appendix A of
GA/RT6001. The specific scope of this document is set out in Part B2.
A4 Responsibilities
Railway Group Standards are mandatory on all members of the Railway Group*
and apply to all relevant activities that fall into the scope of each individual’s
Railway Safety Case. If any of those activities are performed by a contractor, the
contractor’s obligation in respect of Railway Group Standards is determined by
the terms of the contract between the respective parties. Where a contractor is
a duty holder of a Railway Safety Case then Railway Group Standards apply
directly to the activities described in the Safety Case.
* The Railway Group comprises Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, Rail Safety
and Standards Board Limited, and the train and station operators who hold
railway safety cases for operation on or related to infrastructure controlled by
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited.
A6 Technical content
The technical content of this document has been approved by:
A7 Supply
Controlled and uncontrolled copies of this document may be obtained from the
Industry Safety Liaison Dept, Rail Safety and Standards Board, Evergreen
House, 160 Euston Road, London NW1 2DX.
Part B
B1 Purpose
This document mandates requirements for the design, inspection and
maintenance of the trackbed and track drainage.
B2 Application of this
document
B2.1 To whom the requirements apply
This document contains requirements that are applicable to duty holders of the
infrastructure controller category of Railway Safety Case.
After the compliance dates, or after the date by which compliance is achieved (if
earlier), Railway Group members shall not deviate from the requirements set out
in this document.
Requirements for pipelines, buried services and undertrack crossings are set out
in GI/RT7008.
B3 Definitions
Appendix A illustrates the major terms defined below and gives a typical example
of a trackbed.
Ballast
Nominally single-sized granular material of specified properties, placed on the
blanket (where provided), subgrade or structure to provide vertical and lateral
support to the sleepers or bearers.
Blanket
A layer, or several layers, laid over the subgrade to give the trackbed its desired
performance characteristics. The layers can include layers of granular material
and geosynthetics.
Earthwork
A cutting, embankment or natural ground supporting the track. Compare with
‘structure’.
Geosynthetics
General term for synthetic layers included in the trackbed either to enhance the
properties of, or replace, a granular trackbed layer. It includes geotextiles,
geogrids, geomembranes and geocomposites.
New trackbed
Trackbed layers placed where there was previously no track. Compare with
‘Renewal [of trackbed]’.
Structure
Something built to support or retain a load. For the purposes of this document,
the term includes bridges, viaducts, tunnels and culverts, but excludes
earthworks.
Subgrade
The upper part of the earthworks or natural ground on which the blanket layer
rests. The subgrade includes any capping layer (prepared subgrade) designed
to alter the stiffness of the subgrade.
Trackbed
A general term referring to the ballast, blanket and subgrade.
Trackbed layers
A general term referring to all layers placed between the subgrade and the
underside of sleepers or bearers.
Track category
The classification of a section of track by usage and speed, so that requirements
relating to design, maintenance, renewal and inspection of the track can be
specified and applied. The procedure for categorising track is given in
GC/RT5023.
Track geometry
Measured values of the vertical profile and alignment of track, assessed against
acceptable values set out in standards.
Wet bed
A short length of trackbed whose upper surface is visibly contaminated by slurry
which has risen from within the ballast.
B4 Principles
This document supports the following HMRI Safety Principles:
Safety Principle 5 - The track should provide for the safe guidance and support
of trains.
B5 Introduction
This section (B5) is a descriptive introduction to GC/RT5014. It does not contain
mandatory requirements.
b) The formation, consisting of blanket (if present) and subgrade, upon which
the required depth of ballast is placed. Ideally this should be permanent,
and not require replacement or maintenance. The formation may also
include an additional depth of ballast, for example to protect vulnerable
layers within the blanket. When reballasting, this additional depth of ballast
is left in place.
Note that the required depth of ballast is not the same as the total depth of
trackbed layers (ballast plus blanket) that is required to distribute the load over
the subgrade.
Appendix A illustrates a typical trackbed. The requirements for each layer are
described in Part C.
During the life of the trackbed there could be several occasions when
investigation is considered necessary, including:
d) before the speed, axle weight or tonnage of trains is increased (see section
D2).
Part C
Requirements for the trackbed and track
drainage
C1 Trackbed
investigation
C1.1 Requirement for trackbed investigations
Before trackbed design and renewal are carried out, sufficient data shall be
collected on the nature, condition and relevant dimensions of the existing
trackbed layers and subgrade to determine the nature of the work required and
to reduce, to an acceptable level, the risk of unforeseen ground conditions
resulting in an inadequate treatment of the trackbed.
a) protecting the drain against ingress of clay, silt, sand or other fine particles
C2 Performance
requirements for
trackbed
C2.1 General performance requirements
The trackbed shall be designed to enable the required standard of track
geometry to be achieved for the speed, axle weight and tonnage of traffic to be
carried, taking into account the proposed track type and track maintenance
arrangements.
For trackbed renewal in areas with a history of poor track geometry, or where the
vertical or horizontal alignment is to be changed significantly, the infrastructure
controller shall be satisfied that the renewed trackbed will provide a minimum
dynamic sleeper support stiffness of 30 kN/mm per sleeper end.
e) the need for transition zones where ballasted track abuts non-ballasted track
or where a change in support stiffness beneath ballasted track prevents the
required track geometry from being readily achieved.
a) assist in meeting the requirements for the trackbed set out in section C2.1
b) provide an effective interface with the track drain (or appropriate cess where
no track drain is present).
a) assist in meeting the requirements for the trackbed set out in section C2.1
b) assist in providing the vertical and lateral support to sleepers and bearers
needed to meet the requirements of GC/RT5021.
a) material durability
b) resistance to crushing
c) resistance to attrition
e) particle shape.
c) sleeper type
e) site constraints.
a) material durability
c) permeability
The upper surface of the subgrade shall have a crossfall sufficient to direct runoff
towards the track drain (or appropriate cess, where no track drain is present).
Usually a crossfall between 1 in 20 and 1 in 40 is necessary to meet this
requirement.
d) retention of ballast
f) the need for transition zones between the structure and adjacent
earthworks.
C3 Track drains
C3.1 Provision of track drains
Track drains shall be provided in any location where it is likely that water will
accumulate in the trackbed for sufficient time to compromise the performance of
the trackbed.
The design shall incorporate means to protect the drain against ingress of clay,
silt, sand or other fine particles.
Catchpits shall be fitted with covers that fit securely and are capable of carrying
a person’s weight.
C4 Modification of
cutting and embankment
slopes
Before the slopes of cuttings and embankments are modified, either by trimming
or adding new material (for example, as a maintenance activity, or to provide
additional width as part of a realignment or remodelling scheme, or to provide a
cess walkway), the effect on the factor of safety against slope failure shall be
considered.
C5 Quality control at
renewal
Procedures and specifications for trackbed renewals shall be in place which
ensure that track drainage, ballast and blanket layers are installed correctly. The
procedures shall include a requirement for the inspection of each trackbed layer
by a competent person before the next layer is placed.
C6 Acceptance of
trackbed materials
Trackbed materials, including geosynthetics and ballast, shall be accepted for
use on Network Rail controlled infrastructure in accordance with the
requirements of GI/RT7002.
C7 Design and
construction records
All documents relating to the design and construction of trackbed and drainage,
including as-built drawings or records and geotechnical reports which document
the blanket or subgrade properties, shall be retained until all elements referred to
in the document have been replaced or removed entirely from site.
C8 Competence
requirements for design
C8.1 Competence requirements for design of trackbed
The infrastructure controller shall ensure that trackbed design is undertaken only
by an engineer who:
a) can demonstrate that he/she has a full understanding of the purpose of each
trackbed layer and its design criteria
Part D
Requirements for inspection and
assessment
D1 Inspection and
assessment of trackbed
D1.1 General requirements for trackbed inspection
General requirements for track inspection are set out in GC/RT5021. Items to be
identified and reported in track inspections include signs of ballast slurrying or
effects of inadequate drainage on ballast conditions.
The use of intrusive investigation techniques (for example, trial holes) which
penetrate the blanket or subgrade shall be kept to the minimum necessary to
meet the requirements of sections D1.2 and D1.3.
When intrusive investigation techniques are used, holes penetrating the blanket
or subgrade shall be made good before backfilling.
Track drainage shall be considered as an integral part of the trackbed for the
purpose of the trackbed assessments required by sections D1.2 and D1.3.
D2 Increasing the
speed, axle weight or
tonnage of trains
Before the speed, axle weight or tonnage of trains using a track is significantly
increased, the effect of the changes on the performance of the trackbed shall be
assessed.
If the assessment shows that the proposed changes are likely to result in
unacceptable deterioration of track geometry, taking into account the proposed
track maintenance arrangements, measures shall be taken to enhance the
performance of the trackbed before the proposed changes are implemented.
D3 Inspection of track
drainage
General requirements for track inspection are set out in GC/RT5021. Items to be
identified and reported in track inspections include flooding and collapsed
catchpits.
D4 Records of
inspections and
assessments
D4.1 Trackbed
Records of trackbed assessments shall be retained for at least ten years, or until
the trackbed is replaced, whichever occurs sooner.
Requirements for the retention of records relating to the design and construction
of the trackbed and drainage are set out in section C7. These records include
geotechnical reports documenting blanket or subgrade properties.
D4.2 Drainage
Records of inspections shall be kept for a minimum of two years, or until the
subsequent inspection, if the intervening period is longer than two years, for
audit purposes. Where regular silting or frequent surcharging occurs, records
shall be retained until at least ten years after the problems are considered to
have been rectified.
b) the name, title and organisation of the person undertaking the inspection
e) any decisions to take no action about reported faults or defects, and the
reasons for the decisions.
Part E
Requirements for maintenance and
corrective action
E1 Maintenance of
trackbed
When either indications of a possible localised trackbed failure or a wet bed
appears in the track, the track geometry shall be maintained in the short term by
localised packing of sleepers or digging out of wet beds, taking any measures
necessary to ensure the safety of trains while doing so.
If the treated fault recurs after taking the above measures, or if multiple faults
occur, this shall be regarded as an indication of poor trackbed for the purposes
of section D1.1 and an interim assessment shall be undertaken in accordance
with section D1.2 to determine whether trackbed renewal is required.
E2 Maintenance of
drainage
All track drains, lineside ditches, culverts and watercourses shall be maintained
to permit the free flow of water.
Where deficiencies in the drainage system are identified these shall be rectified
in sufficient time to ensure that the performance of the trackbed and subgrade
are not compromised.
Appendix A
Illustration of trackbed terminology
(This content of this appendix is not mandatory)
Ballast Ballast
Geosynthetic Trackbed
Layers
Blanket Trackbed
Sand
Capping Subgrade
Natural ground
or fill
References
The Catalogue of Railway Group Standards and the Railway Group Standards
CD-ROM give the current issue number and status of documents published by
RSSB.
Other References
HS(G)153/1 HMRI Railway Safety Principles and Guidance