Authors: A.S. Uppal, S.H. Rizkalla

Date of Publication:  1999 (?)

Sponsoring Agency:  Transportation Research Board, Committee on Railroad Track Structure System Design

Performing Organization:  Canadian National Rail

Report No:

Abstract:

Timber bridges are still commonly used by several North American railroads. For short spans, they offer attractive alternatives to other types of bridges because they are more economical, faster to construct, and easy to maintain. Current design practices do not allow independent consideration of the effects of dynamic loads in sizing bridge components. The main objective of this paper is to describe the experimental work conducted to study the behavior of timber bridge spans under the passage of trains at different speeds. Tests were conducted on two types of bridge spans, a ballast deck and an open deck. Test results indicate the response of spans and the effects of other parameters such as speed and static wheel loads to dynamic factors.
 

No. of Pages:  10