Research Areas and Research Achievements of Highway and Railway Engineering

Research Area 1: Railroad Track

1.1 Development of a series of high-speed turnouts for speed of 350 kilometers per hour

1) Established multi-point and non-Hertz contact theory in turnout zone, based on the three elastomers-virtual penetration principle

2) Put forward a design principle of wheel-rail relation at high-speed turnout, and developed structural technology of low track force in turnout zone

3) Developed successfully a series of high-speed turnouts with independent intellectual property rights, fit for speed of 350 km/h

1.2 Research and development of China’s ballastless track with independent intellectual property rights

1) Established the design theory and method of ballastless track in view of heat-force-water coupling

2) Put forward the improvement technology of ballastless track’s durability, in consideration of degradation of material properties

3) Led the research and development of China’s CRTS Ⅲ slab ballastless track structure with independent intellectual property rights

1.3 Perfection of the theoretical design system of continuously welded rail (CWR)

1) Established the theoretical system of seamless turnout on large span bridge and had a breakthrough in tackling the problem of laying seamless turnout on bridge

2) Perfected the design principle and method of CWR on bridge, achieving continuous welding of all rails on the whole line

3) Developed a CWR monitoring system of two-way adaptive mutation cladding of fiber bragg grating.

Research Area 2: Railway Location

Construction demand of digitized railway lack of flexibility of adapting topography in deciding the location of mountain railway in consideration of disaster mitigation

2.1 Development of digital railway location system based on virtual geographic environment

1) Established railway engineering structure and primitive model bank of equipment standard drawing

2) Put forward line project BIM and 3D railway location technology

2.2 Establishment of location theory and method based on dynamics in a systematic way

1) Established spatial linear state evaluation model of high-speed railway based on the theory of vehicle - track coupling dynamics

2) Put forward technical standards of spatial linear state of high-speed railway, urban mass transit, high-speed maglev line, and medium-low speed maglev line

2.3 Application

1) Constructed a 3d location digital platform of China-Laos Railway and Sichuan-Tibet Railway

2) Evaluated the plane and vertical section design of multiple high-speed railways such as Beijing-Shanghai High-speed Railway and Moscow-Kazan High-speed Railway

3) Applied to CRRC Zhuzhou long maglev test line, and Changsha maglev transportation, etc.

Research Area 3: Railway Subgrade

1) High running speed, stringent deformation requirements, and difficulties in maintenance

2) Under the action of train dynamic load and embankment static load, there is significant time-scale effect on subgrade’s long-term durability.

3) The topography, geology and climate conditions are complicated, and the tracks are laid across a variety of relief, strata and climate conditions.

4) Complex materials and their functions are the major technical concerns for the long-term deformation control of subgrades.

3.1 Research and development of state classification and identification technology for long-term deformation analysis of subgrade geomaterials

1) Put forward the classification principle of four-state geomaterial deformation, and power recognition of deformation state

2) Designed special soil tests under various stress conditions and threshold value test methods for geomaterials in view of long-term deformation characteristics

3.2 State control design technology for long-term deformation of subgrade geotechnical structure

1) Constructed the design method of subgrade bed structure which changes from two parameters to three parameters with long-term deformation control as the core

2) Proposed a “Time Effect Method” for calculating the thickness of subsoil compressed layer

3) Formed a collaborative control design technique overseeing long-term deformation state based on composite subsoil with high strength piles

3.3 Development of the technology for examining and adjusting the construction and maintenance progress in view of subgrade’s long-term deformation control

1) Invented the K30 test method based on “time control” to realize the pre-evaluation of the selection of high-speed railway’s subgrade filling materials

2) Realized the rapid evaluation of structural service performance of subgrade bed of high-speed railway in operation, and rapid maintenance of subgrade deformation

Research Area 4: Road and Railway

1) Intelligent testing technology and equipment of the surface of high-grade highwayThey were developed by the team led by Professor WANG Chenping for the quick and accurate test of the road surface condition, and the accuracy of fracture identification can reach 1mm, leading the world in test speed and accuracy.

2) Reinforced surface layer of railway subgrade bed of asphalt concreteThey were developed by the team led by Professor QIU Yanjun. The team formulated the first technical standard and index system of reinforced surface layer of ballastless track’s subgrade bed of asphalt concrete for the first passenger dedicated line in China.

3) Structure and materials for bridge deck pavement of high viscoelastic modified asphalt concreteThey were developed by the team led by Professor AI Changfa, who invented an asphalt concrete with significantly improved anti-rutting and anti-shear performance, which effectively solved the shear deformation and damage problem of bus stops along BRT bus lanes.