The article discusses the assessment of the actual service life and failure dynamics of crosspieces in the harsh operating conditions of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The article provides an overview of the various brands and designs of crosspieces used on the Trans-Siberian Railway (ZSDI), separately for tracks I and II. It is determined that 99…100 % of the brands – 1/11, and that 74…78 % of the projects – 2750 and 13…17 % – 2768.

The article assesses the failures of crosspieces of switch-gates (SP) in particularly heavy-duty conditions on the I and II tracks of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The analysis was conducted based on the reporting materials for the last 5 years (2020–2024) of three track sections located in the direction of Omsk – Novosibirsk.

The dynamics of failures of modern new crosspieces (mark 1/11, projects 2750 and 2768) during their first service life and old crosspieces during their second service life were evaluated. As a result, a comparative analysis of the first and second service lives of new and used crosspieces was conducted based on failures of three groups of crosspieces: modern new (current cycle); new (previous cycle); used (previous cycle, re-laid). For example, the average time before failure of Project 2750 crosspieces on tracks I and II for modern new (current cycle) crosspieces is 133…138 million tons, which is 9% higher than for new (previous cycle) crosspieces – 122…126 million tons.

A comparative analysis of the normative and actual service life levels of crosspieces for the harsh operating conditions of the Trans-Siberian Railway has been carried out.

Rail transport is the most accessible and efficient for transporting bulk cargo and passengers in terms of price-quality ratio, but it also has certain disadvantages. An extensive network of junctions and stopping points in the residential zones of densely populated cities and industrial centers - places where freight and passenger trains are formed - negatively affects the health of the population. The operation of rolling stock and other transport processes lead to the presence of a significant number of sound waves of various frequencies, which have a negative impact on the human body, within the limits of mass gatherings and round-the-clock residence of people. Complaints about excessive noise in large cities, for example to Rospotrebnadzor, account for about 65% of the total number of complaints about unfavorable living conditions in residential areas. At the same time, the contribution of the transport complex to urban noise is 55% of the total share of noise pollution. Every year there is an increase in the population entering the zone of ‘acoustic discomfort’; currently its share is 55–70% of the population of developed and developing countries.

At the test site of the West Siberian Railway, a search, measurement and subsequent assessment of noise levels, a comprehensive analysis of transport infrastructure facilities were organized in order to identify areas of excess noise that have a negative impact on humans within the residential area, located in close proximity to the railway infrastructure of passenger, suburban and freight traffic.

Since the West Siberian Railway has a significant area, high traffic intensity of freight and passenger trains, the railway tracks are located in close proximity to residential or public buildings in which people spend quite a lot of time, including at night, and there are additional sources of noise in the form of highways. The measurement results, their processing and initial recommendations for the formation of noise protection systems are presented in this article. 

The problem of modeling the stress-strain state of a railway subgrade taking into account seismic impact is considered.

The aim of this study is to determine the dependence of the stress-strain state of a railway subgrade on damping parameters (the material properties of the damping layer, its thickness, and its location within the subgrade structure).

The principle of numerical modeling of dynamic action using the finite element method is used. Modeling was performed using a generated accelerogram in the Plaxis 2D software package. Distinctive features of a hardening soil model with small-strain stiffness, which affect the completeness of seismic impact modeling on the subgrade, are discussed.

A description of the key parameters of the stress-strain state of a railway embankment under dynamic action adopted in the study is provided. These include horizontal displacements of the top surface of subgrade, settlement after the earthquake, stresses in the slip surface formation zone, and the level of specific dissipated deformation energy during seismic action.

Dynamic calculations of the stress-strain state of a railway embankment during an earthquake were performed using a hardening soil model with small-strain stiffness. The influence of the dynamic characteristics of the modal and hysteresis damping of the embankment soil and damping layer on the stress-strain state parameters of the railway subgrade was determined.

Optimal damping parameters were determined to minimize horizontal displacements and settlement after an earthquake, reduce stress fluctuations in the subgrade, and absorb specific dissipated deformation energy during an earthquake. The selection of optimal parameters was carried out on the basis of a comparison of damping options that differ in the thickness and position of the damping layer (layers) in the embankment structure.

Due to changes in the foreign economic directions of the Russian Federation and the process of changing the format of production and logistics chains in the Asia-Pacific region, transport systems, including the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Baikal-Amur Mainline, are under considerable strain. These highways, which provide export supplies from Siberia to the East, are already experiencing difficulties in increasing freight traffic. Increasing the capacity of the Eastern polygon to 240 million tonnes by 2035 as part of the third stage of development planned by Russian Railways will only partially solve the problem. In the current situation, it is necessary to create additional transport corridors in the direction of Asian countries. This is especially important for railway transport, which is able to provide large volumes of freight traffic at minimal tariffs. As part of the expansion of economic relations with Mongolia and China, it is proposed to carry out pre-project studies of two railway lines: western and northern, which will diverge in Arz Sur.

The construction of a gas pipeline is of strategic importance for all countries in terms of developing trade and economic co-operation. For Mongolia, the effective functioning of the corridor will bring the economy to a new level, including social development. In order to remove infrastructural restrictions for the export of Siberian products, the possibility of building a line from Kuragino to Kyzyl and further south through Mongolia to the People's Republic of China will be considered.

The article is devoted to the development of transport and logistics schemes for cargo owners who plan to transport oversized equipment to the northern regions of Russia. The choice of this topic is based on an analysis of existing logistics solutions for the delivery of oversized cargo in the northern direction.

The purpose of this study is to develop effective transport and logistics models for the delivery of oversized boiler equipment in the northern direction, with a focus on economic feasibility and risk reduction.

The study aimed to solve the following tasks: to study existing approaches to the transportation of oversized cargo, to analyze the specifics of transportation in the Far North, to design multimodal delivery schemes, to conduct a comparative analysis of the cost and time indicators of various methods, to identify risks and develop recommendations for their minimization.

As for the relevance and scientific novelty, a cargo transportation technology has been developed in the conditions of the Far North, and costs have been determined that take into account the specifics of this type of transportation.

The study is relevant due to the growing need to deliver industrial equipment to remote regions of Russia, including the Arctic zone, the lack of universal solutions adapted to the extreme conditions of the Far North, and the need to optimize transportation costs and times while maintaining cargo safety.

The paper substantiates the use of the heat transfer coefficient of cooling devices as the main criterion for designing thermal stabilization systems for the foundation of the roadbed of transport structures in the cryolithic zone.

To assess the influence of the heat transfer coefficient of cooling devices on the thermal stabilization of the roadbed base, numerical modeling was performed for a section of the railway embankment on the Chum-Labytnangi section operated in the Arctic zone. To compile and subsequently verify a numerical model of the railway embankment in operation, the necessary engineering-geological and thermal engineering data were collected and the temperature regime of the “embankment – foundation” system was monitored in an annual cycle. The compiled and verified model was used to study the influence of the heat exchange coefficient of cooling devices on the thermal stabilization of the base of the embankment under consideration. Based on the results of numerical modeling, the dependences of the time of thermal stabilization of the foundation on the heat transfer coefficient during long-term thermal stabilization and for one cold period of the year were determined.

Based on the completed research, a design principle for cooling devices for thermal stabilization of the foundations of exploited embankments in the cryolithic zone was formulated. The principle allows one to determine the required heat exchange coefficient, ensuring the design timeframe for thermal stabilization and reducing the amount of frost heaving of transport structures to the maximum permissible values.

Based on the results of the conducted research, it was noted that in some cases thermal stabilization solutions may be required that provide a heat transfer coefficient exceeding the capabilities of existing seasonally operating cooling devices. In such cases, research is relevant aimed at developing and effectively implementing solutions based on accelerated or combined thermal stabilization methods, capable of providing higher final values of the heat exchange coefficient between the subgrade and the atmosphere.

This article explores methods for assessing the effectiveness of interactions between organizational structures managing rail transport operations when transferring wagon traffic from the public network to private tracks of industrial transport enterprises and other major freight recipients (ports and terminals). It presents methods for managing transport and technological processes, taking into account digitalization, intellectualization, and logistics management systems for creating a unified transportation space and reducing losses at the interfaces of various modes of transport. Approaches to assessing the effectiveness of management structures in the context of complex, formalizable factors are considered, based on the principles of fuzzy set theory, technocenosis, and systems theory in selecting rational scenarios for managing the transport process. The article presents the formulation of the problem and analytical approaches to calculating the effectiveness of interactions between organizational structures managing rail transport operations. In today's operating environment, Russian rail transport faces significant technological and competitive challenges. These challenges can be addressed not only through infrastructure development but also through improving organizational and technical management structures (OTMS), particularly at the interface between public and non-public rail transport (PPZhT, PPNP, shippers, and consignees). Therefore, the presented methods for scientifically supporting the selection and evaluation of effective options for interaction between railway OTMS should utilize multifactorial justifications and, in the long term, be linked to intellectualization and digitalization. The following are accepted as optimality criteria: local car downtime in the system and technical and economic indicators of organizational costs. In the future, the role of OTMS in transport production will expand through so-called virtual OTMS, in which information technology and artificial intelligence come to the forefront, managing the flow of information from lower management levels to higher ones based on the principles of strategic decision-making analysis.

A railway rolling stock passes along the track, while the wheel interacts with the rail and dynamic loads occur in this system. The forces simultaneously act on the wheel, as well as on the rest of the car, and on the track bed. All other things being equal, the greater the rigidity of the elements in the system, the greater the dynamic forces. Unsprung parts of the carriage and the rails are particularly strongly influenced by dynamic impacts with increased rigidity of the under-rail base. If the dynamic forces turn out to be greater than normal, they cause increased stress values and the progression of defects, the development of fatigue cracks in rails and in wagon parts. In conditions of increased transportation, this can have consequences and lead to critical defects.

The article discusses the experience of setting up a model experiment to study the distribution of deformations of the track bed during the passage of rolling stock under various test conditions.

The purpose of this study was to improve the methods of measuring dynamic forces in the wheel-rail system, as well as to develop and verify adequate models for studying the processes occurring in the wheel-rail system.

Within the framework of the study, the conditions for model verification have been established, under which the implementation of model experiments is possible. The paper analyzes the deformed state of the rail under train load and evaluates the applicability of the model to the task of estimating rail deformations. The verification of the created model was carried out by the type of boundary conditions, by the size of the finite elements, by the type of load and the size of the contact spot, as well as by the location of the boundary section. The dependence of deflection upon a change in stiffness in the wheel-rail system has been established. It is proposed to improve the method of restoring the existing loads in the wheel and rail system. The proposed method for determining the acting forces makes it possible to increase the accuracy of measurements and reduce errors.

Determining the forces in the lining of transport tunnels is one of the key tasks for designers. There are several methods for solving this problem, and the article discusses three of them: the method of structural mechanics, analytical methods of continuum mechanics, and numerical modeling methods. These methods are prescribed in the current regulatory documents and are used by designers to calculate the lining of transport tunnels.

The author suggests a mixed method that combines elements of structural mechanics and continuum mechanics methods. This approach makes it possible to obtain internal force plots similar to the method of structural mechanics, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The special feature of the mixed method is the use of data from both approaches. In order to link both methods, the coefficient of elastic resistance of the soil is recalculated into the modulus of deformation of the soil, which, unlike the first one, can be determined in the laboratory. The mixed method was tested on two tunnel linings – circular and horseshoe-shaped. The results were compared with the data obtained by the method of structural mechanics and the method of continuum mechanics using the numerical finite element method in the Midas GTS NX software package.

The article provides a qualitative and quantitative comparison of the results of the three calculation methods. In conclusion, recommendations on the use of the mixed method in the design of transport tunnels are proposed. This approach can be used as an alternative to test the results of the structural mechanics method for specified loads. For example, the mixed method will be useful in scientific and technical support of project documentation as an alternative calculation method.

One way to increase the resistance of asphalt concrete to plastic rutting is to reinforce it with various types of fiber. Existing methods for designing fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete mixtures specify the recommended range of fiber dosages, with the optimal percentage determined experimentally in laboratory conditions through a series of iterative selections and tests. These activities are mainly carried out sequentially, which leads to significant time and financial costs. These costs can be reduced by improving the existing method for designing fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete mixtures in terms of establishing functional relationships that allow the optimal percentage of fiber content to be determined by calculation.

The paper presents a laboratory experiment on modeling the processes of plastic rutting on asphalt concrete pavements in order to determine the empirical dependencies of the average rut depth on the percentage of polyacrylonitrile fibers in the composition of asphalt concrete mixtures and the shear stability of the bitumen binder included in these mixtures. The experiment consisted of separate tests, each of which involved preparing samples of asphalt concrete mixtures using bituminous binders with different shear stability values determined at the maximum design temperature of the pavement layer for the region under study, and varying the content of polyacrylonitrile fibers. The prepared samples were subjected to cyclic loading on a specialized rolling wheel simulation machine. As a result of the experiments, the values of the parameter characterizing the resistance of asphalt concrete to plastic rutting – the average rut depth – were determined.

The results of the experiment established a functional relationship between the change in average rut depth and the polyacrylonitrile fiber content and shear stability of the bituminous binder. The results of the study allow, given the known shear stability of the bituminous binder, to calculate the optimal content of polyacrylonitrile fibers to achieve the required average rut depth in asphalt concrete.

Improving the quality of foundation design solutions for buildings and structures is inextricably linked to assessing their reliability. However, methods for such assessment have been vastly underdeveloped to date. The principle of limit state design adopted in domestic foundation engineering relies on the concept of design load values and soil characteristics. This concept also includes reliability factors in the form of load and soil reliability factors. These factors represent estimates of the methods used to determine individual parameters. At the same time, reliability, in principle, implies the failure-free operation of the entire system - in this case, the structure's foundation and soil mass. The probability of assessing reliability, known as the reliability level, presupposes the presence of conditions that the design solution must meet. Typically, these conditions relate to bearing capacity and foundation deformations. The probability of meeting these conditions, which are considered as specified functions of random variables, characterizes the reliability of the foundation structure.

The procedure for determining the reliability level is defined as follows. First, the random parameters of the condition being tested and their numerical characteristics up to the fourth-order central moments are established. Second, the numerical characteristics of the condition are calculated as a random function, previously linearized. Third, the probability of the condition being satisfied is calculated using an arbitrary distribution law in the form of a Charlier series. This approach to assessing the reliability of foundation structures is sufficiently justified and can be used in design practice. The application of this method was considered for assessing the reliability of soil foundations based on bearing capacity and deformation. However, in recent revisions of regulatory documents, the settlement calculation method has been significantly modified. The purpose of this article was to present an algorithm for assessing the reliability of the modernized method for calculating the settlement of soil foundations.

The features of the wedge clamping mechanism for transferring impact energy to core technological elements (nuggets, injectors, grounding electrodes, etc.) are considered in order to select the optimal compression force of the impact machine to the ground face from the feeder.

A mathematical model of the force interaction of the elements of the clamping unit is presented in order to determine the most significant factors for the transmission of impact energy. The analysis showed that the coefficient of adhesion of the wedge to the surface of the core element and the coefficient of friction in contact with the anvil have the greatest effect on the accepted angle of the wedge.

Field experiments were carried out using an INSTRON 8802 servo-hydraulic press, during which the condition of the rod surface, the degree of blunting of the working edges of the wedges, and the clamping force were varied to determine the onset of cam slippage along the rod. Each experiment was carried out on a new section of the rod at a fixed pressure p in the pneumatic cylinder of the clamp and included at least five consecutive load-unloading cycles without resetting the clamp along the rod.

Graphs of experimental results and their analysis are presented. Recommendations are given for the design of wedge clamping mechanisms transmitting axial load. To control the clamp, it is advisable to use a thrust-feeding device – a feeder. It should be located outside of the system in question and be unrelated to it. The feeder allows you to obtain optimal forces that preload the machine without strict restrictions on dimensions, weight, and design. The force from the feeder also leads to the sampling of all gaps in the ‘PUM – clamp – ground face’ system, which increases the efficiency of energy transfer and the productivity of the process.