Influence of the Age and Level of Concrete Fatigue on Prestressed Railway Sleeper Response: Parametric Study and Experiment

This paper presents a study on the influence of material parameters of concrete on the mechanical response of prestressed monoblock railway sleepers used on Czech railway tracks. The influence of selected mechanical/fracture parameters of concrete on the structural behaviour of the studied precast structural members is investigated by means of numerical modelling of standardized static loading tests, which are used as a tool for quality control during the manufacture of sleepers according to the European Standards for railway applications. The tests are numerically simulated using ATENA nonlinear finite element method software. The results of the simulations are compared with experimental data obtained via static loading tests performed on sleepers both before their use according to their designated purpose and after 17 years in operational service.