Geofabrics
Trackbed Rehabilitation, Bradley Junction, UK
Project Description
In 2009 Network Rail decided that the up line through Bradley Junction was life expired and would not be able to carry the proposed increase in annual tonnage from 6 million to 11 million.
An investigation undertaken in 2010 (AECOM, 2010) described the track bed as variable, with very dirty waterlogged ballast, and evidence of upwards migration of clay formation which had caused the track geometry to deteriorate rapidly. The installation of TrackTex Anti-pumping Geocomposite was selected by Network Rail as a method of preventing mud pumping and prolonging Trackbed performance.
In 2017 Network Rail commissioned AECOM to perform a detailed evaluation of the project; a series of test pits were excavated to determine the effectiveness of rehabilitation.
Details
AECOM were commissioned by Network Rail (NR), under a Framework contract (NTR457 Trackbed Investigation Site Works and Reporting) to perform trial holes at a single site in the London North East territory to assess geocomposite performance.
Five separate trial pits were dug along a 100-yard section of Track, two pits in a section prior to the installation of the geocomposite, and three pits where the TrackTex had been installed.
