Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42122619›Full record

ArticleSensors (Basel, Switzerland)2026

A General Finite Beam on Tensionless Foundation Model for Rail Track Characterization and Evaluation.

Hamoud H Alshallaqi, Brett A Story

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Hamoud H AlshallaqiDepartment of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Southern Methodist University, 3101 Dyer St Suite 105, Dallas, TX 75205, USA.
Brett A StoryDepartment of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Southern Methodist University, 3101 Dyer St Suite 105, Dallas, TX 75205, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9851-7790

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Rail infrastructure plays an important role in freight and passenger mobility, and the assessment of rail track structure depends critically on understanding how the rail interacts with the supporting foundation. When rail support degrades (e.g., due to ballast fouling, settlement, etc.), the rail exhibits greater localized deformation that can lead to serious deleterious conditions. Track modulus represents a fundamental diagnostic measure of rail support, encompassing the vertical stiffness characteristics of the foundation and its resistance against downward rail movement. Existing track modulus characterization methodologies typically comprise deflection measurements of railway track (e.g., tie deflections) under known loads. Track modulus estimations result from analyzing deflection and load under assumptions of a traditional Winkler foundation, which can oversimplify mechanic relationships. Specifically, in the context of rail-ballast-subgrade interaction, a tensionless foundation permits gap development which can occur as track structure separates from the supporting ballast; additionally, track modulus may vary along the track length as conditions vary spatially. This paper presents a general analytical solution of ballasted track support characterization based on an iterative algorithm for the static response of a finite beam resting on a tensionless Winkler foundation. The method relates to multiple loads (e.g., concentrated axle loads and distributed self-weight), deflection along the track, and track condition through singularity functions, superposition of discrete support springs, and moment-curvature relationships. The model estimates rail deflections, lift-off points and shear and moment diagrams along the track. The technique permits: (1) validations against benchmark solutions and previously published results, (2) estimations of track modulus from known loads and measured deflections, and ultimately, (3) a framework for designing and processing sensor data streams for use in analyses and evaluations of railway track structure.

Indexed as

discrete springsfinite beamiterative approachnon-linear and linear stiffness behaviortensionless Winkler foundationvarying gapvarying stiffness

Identifiers

PMID42122619
PMCPMC13165871

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LicenceCC BY
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.