Curved railway tracks are susceptible to lateral instability due to the combined effects of centrifugal forces, reduced ballast confinement, and thermally induced stresses in continuous welded rails. These factors increase the risk of track misalignment, rail-seat deterioration, and potential buckling, particularly under high-speed and high-temperature operating conditions. To address these challenges, this study proposes a novel steel-plated grooved section (SPGS) anchorage system, designed to improve lateral stability by enhancing the mechanical interlock between prestressed concrete sleepers and the surrounding ballast. The SPGS anchors are easily removable, compatible with standard maintenance practices, and suitable for retrofitting. Three SPGS anchors, varying in anchor lengths (10 cm, 13 cm, and 16 cm), were evaluated through a combination of experimental single-tie push tests and discrete element method (DEM) simulations. Additionally, the interaction between the SPGS-anchored sleeper and ballast particles was analyzed using DEM to examine the contact force chains and energy dissipation within the ballast particles. The results showed that SPGS-anchored sleepers increased lateral resistance by 195% to 256% compared to unanchored sleepers, with the 13 cm anchor length demonstrating the most effective length within the tested range, providing the most practical and efficient performance among the tested anchor lengths. DEM analysis revealed a deeper and more uniform distribution of contact force chains, along with increased energy dissipation, which contributed to reduced ballast displacement and enhanced structural stability. The proposed SPGS system significantly increases the lateral resistance capacity, allowing higher safe operating speeds on curved tracks, as validated through safety margin calculations and lateral force demand assessments. These findings suggest that the SPGS anchorage is a practical and scalable solution to enhance the lateral resistance of ballasted railway tracks, particularly in curved sections.
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