Elastic inclusions in ballasted tracks – a review and recommendations

Ballasted tracks are being overstressed as the demand for faster and heavier trains grows, resulting in excessive deterioration, frequent maintenance, and increased life-cycle cost of the track. Therefore, advancements in track constructions, such as elastic inclusions, to improve track performance and minimize maintenance frequency while enhancing safety are imperative. This paper explores a critical review of various types of elastic inclusions used in ballasted tracks. Individual performances of popular types of elastic inclusions such as energy-absorbing rubber mats, tyre derived aggregates, waste rubber tyres, and polyurethane-based inclusions were identified from the literature, and recommendations for their use depending on field requirements were proposed. Many studies have confirmed the contribution of energy-absorbing rubber mats in improving the performance of both substructure and superstructure of the track, but further investigations are required for other types of elastic inclusions, mainly in terms of their impact on track superstructure behaviour.