Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Transportation Geotechnics, cilt.61, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The lateral stability of ballasted railway tracks is strongly influenced by ballast bed geometry, particularly in curved sections subjected to significant lateral forces. This study investigates the relationship between ballast profile geometry and the global lateral resonance (GLR) frequency using an integrated framework that combines three-dimensional ballast profiling with experimental and operational modal analyses. Field investigations were conducted on eight curved track sections comprising forty track segments, deliberately selected to represent a wide range of ballast topology configurations. Lateral dynamic characteristics were identified using Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) with controlled lateral hammer excitation and train-induced Operational Modal Analysis (OMA). In parallel, ballast profiles were digitized using a LiDAR–GNSS-based three-dimensional scanning workflow. The resulting point cloud data were processed using a custom Python-based algorithm to automatically extract ballast topology parameters. Regression-based analyses revealed statistically meaningful relationships between ballast topology parameters and GLR frequency for both EMA- and OMA-derived results, with coefficients of determination of approximately R2 = 0.70 under heterogeneous field conditions. To address residual variability and capture regime-dependent behavior, a clustering-based modeling approach was introduced, significantly improving agreement with GLR frequencies (R2 = 0.97). The combined analyses indicate that track segments exhibiting relatively weak lateral resistance are generally associated with low compaction density, disproportionate increases in total ballast width leading to dominant dead-mass effects, and insufficient outer shoulder width to provide effective lateral confinement. Different clusters were observed within the same geometric curve, indicating locally varying ballast topology and dynamic response. Although the scanning captures only ballast geometry, the identified GLR frequencies inherently reflect the combined influence of geometry and unmeasured condition-related factors, providing an integrated basis for assessing lateral resistance under field conditions.