Influence of gravel segregation on gluing solution solidification in a railway ballast

Influence of gravel segregation on gluing solution distribution in a realistic railway ballasts is investigated numerically. The rheological characteristics of the gluing solution are accounted for by using a coupled elasto-visco-plastic stress model with an asymptotic time increasing viscosity. The realistic railway ballast is accomplished by using the vertex identification technique, in which the regulations of the gravel composition in ballast practice are followed. Specifically, a uniformly distributed one and a segregated one induced by the difference in gravel size and gravel shape are generated. The rheological model of the gluing solution and twofold ballasts are incorporated into the finite element code of ANSYS $$^{\copyright }$$ to study the flow characteristics and time-dependent solidification of the gluing solution. Relatively concrete vertical and lateral gravel–gravel adhesion in twofold ballasts can be generated by using denser network arrangement of the gluing solution; the vertical penetration in the uniform ballast is slightly deeper than that in the segregated ballast, while a slightly reverse tendency in the lateral extension near the upper and central parts appears. However, the difference in the solidified gluing solution distributions in both ballasts is essentially insignificant, indicating that the influence of the gravel segregation needs not necessary to be taken into account in gluing practice when percolation is not taken into account.