Dynamic damage evolution of track slab concrete and filling layer self-compacting concrete based on acoustic emission

Abstract

Track slab concrete (TSC) and filling layer self-compacting concrete (FLSCC) are the key materials used in the China Railway Track System (CRTS) III slab ballastless track. Understanding the dynamic damage evolution of TSC and FLSCC under load is essential for assessing the stability and safety of the slab tracks. In this study, the damage characteristics of TSC and FLSCC were investigated under uniaxial compression based on the acoustic emission (AE) technique. The results showed that the AE events occurred in the failure process and were the most significant during the yielding stage. The AE analysis revealed that the damage of TSC and FLSCC specimens was predominantly tensile cracks, accounting for 70.33%–83.07%. When the b-value was less than 1.0 and a large amount of energy was released, it indicated the presence of large cracks. Based on the Weibull random distribution and the statistical damage constitutive model, the correlation between damage variables and AE parameters was analyzed. This study indicates that the AE technique is effective for monitoring damage evolution in the concrete materials of CRTS III slab tracks.

Keywords

track slab concrete / self-compacting concrete / acoustic emission / damage evolution

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Central South University