Track Performance in Tunnels and Transitions with Under Tie Pads and Under Ballast Mats
- Federal Railroad Administration
Under a contract with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the University of Florida (UF) instrumented a section of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel in Washington, DC. The tunnel, built between May 2015 and June 2018, was designed and built with pads and mats. UF collected track data over the tunnel’s first 20 months of service (i.e., July 2018 through February 2020). This data included measurements of track load distribution, tie movement, and tunnel floor pressure and vibration. The data captured track settlement during the first 6 months as the ballast consolidated.