This paper presents a simple method to estimate plastic deformation of ballasted track subjected to repeated train passage, which relates to the strength and deformation characteristics of the railroad ballast. A new analytical procedure with linear elastic FEM analysis considering the cumulative strain derived from cyclic triaxial test results of railroad ballast was proposed, and it was revealed that the analytical procedure could roughly estimate the residual settlement of railroad ballast by simulating small scale model tests of ballasted track.

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