Rail transit track and its components are expected to function as a system, and the performance and correct design of each component is critical to overall system behavior. A critical component in the transfer of load through the track system is the crosstie. Concrete is the crosstie material choice for rail transit applications where safety and reliability of infrastructure are at a premium and maintenance time is often limited. Development and implementation of a structural design method that enables optimization of crosstie design for rail transit applications and loading environments will reduce capital costs and recurring maintenance expenses.

In this project, data collected at field installations throughout the U.S. were used to quantify wheel-rail interface loads, concrete crosstie bending moments and rail deflections under revenue service train passes.