Experimental and numerical study on lateral resistance of frictional sleeper with arrowhead groove

To enhance the stability of continuous welded rail (CWR) tracks, frictional sleepers have been developed. The are new types with grooves on bottom, and different bottom improve lateral resistances at magnitudes. In this study, single sleeper push test (SSPT) its model discrete element method (DEM) were carried out to confirm how much arrowhead groove (AGF) increases resistance ballasted track. SSPTs performed results, also validate calibrate DEM models. With validated models, factors influencing studied, including sizes (depth, width), direction numbers. reason improvement was studied mesoscopic level, ballast-sleeper contact numbers force chains. Results show that applying AGF is able by 7–24%, it can provide enough after reducing ballast shoulder width from 500 mm 300 mm. sleeper-ballast interaction increasing number. study helpful for design, further improving track stability.