Hadi Khabbaz - Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
Buddhima Indraratna - Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia

The obligation of keeping a competitive edge against other means of transportation has increased the pressure on the railway industry to improve its efficiency and decrease the maintenance costs. In this paper, several innovative solutions are presented to improve the rail track foundations including optimum particle ballast grading and confining pressure as well as stabilising tracks overlying soft soils employing different techniques. A smart tool for predicting the performance of rail track substructure is also developed. This smart tool provides the user optimum construction parameters and required geotechnical properties according to various subgrade conditions, train loads and speeds.

Rail track, ballast, smart tool, geosynthetics, track foundation.