Numerical modeling of moisture migration in high-speed railway subgrade

Hanlin Wang, Renpeng Chen, Lan Luo, Jin Wu

Research output: Chapter in book / Conference proceedingConference article published in proceeding or bookAcademic researchpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

During the long-term service life of high-speed railway, increase of moisture in the subgrade will degrade the performance of the high-speed railway. Cracks on the surface of the subgrade are found in some existing high-speed railways and water will infiltrate into the subgrade through the cracks in rainy days. A numerical model using Geo-studio Seep/W is established to simulate moisture migration in the subgrade. Two cracks are set in the edges of the concrete base. The moisture migration in the subgrade within two years has been calculated. The results indicate that "saturation zone" occurs in the subgrade. The volumetric water content ranges from 10% to 27% in the surface layer and from 20% to 26% in the bottom layer, respectively. The seepage line reaches at the interface of bottom layer and subbase layer after 184 days and stays stable in the remaining 546 days. This is explained by the reason that water can only permeate into the subbase layer with an extremely low seepage velocity and then it accumulates at the bottom of subgrade bottom layer. And this accumulation area has a volumetric water content value of 28%, slightly higher than that in other areas of subgrade bottom layer in the final period.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInnovative Materials and Design for Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure - Selected Papers from the International Symposium on Systematic Approaches to Environmental Sustainability in Transportation
EditorsJenny Liu, Xiong Zhang, Sheng Zhao
PublisherAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Pages349-363
Number of pages15
ISBN (Electronic)9780784479278
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes
EventInternational Symposium on Systematic Approaches to Environmental Sustainability in Transportation: Innovative Materials and Design for Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure - Fairbanks, United States
Duration: 2 Aug 20155 Aug 2015

Publication series

NameInnovative Materials and Design for Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure - Selected Papers from the International Symposium on Systematic Approaches to Environmental Sustainability in Transportation

Conference

ConferenceInternational Symposium on Systematic Approaches to Environmental Sustainability in Transportation: Innovative Materials and Design for Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityFairbanks
Period2/08/155/08/15

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Numerical modeling of moisture migration in high-speed railway subgrade'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this