Beginning with two plastic cross ties in April 1996, data was collected from the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) track(s). The Association of American Railroads Transportation Technology Center, Inc., in Pueblo, CO, was the site for much of the testing reported. ( 25) explored various application-oriented properties and characteristics of recycled plastic composite ties. Reducing long-term maintenance requirements and improving the reliability of rail lines are two goals that new tie manufacturing materials could address in addition to recycling plastics. The decision on if/how to use plastic railroad ties affects military planning, operations, the installations themselves, and the environment. Implications from decisions on whether or not to utilize railroad ties containing recycled plastic are far reaching given rail’s strategic importance to military transportation operations. Military rail transportation has readiness components that are evaluated with strategic criteria often associated with factors such as force projection and force protection, in addition to economics, sustainability, and other considerations. The focus of this paper is recycled plastic railroad ties and the viability of their use within a military rail transportation network. Other infrastructure elements (e.g., asphalt pavements) are being studied for how best to strike this balance as the problem is fairly complex ( 6). ![]() The desire to recycle plastic, however, must be balanced with other factors such as economics and performance. ![]() These data indicate a need for clear performance specifications to prevent post-installation track usage problems which can affect military readiness and response times and therefore national security. General trends in tie performance were noted which included seasonal variation in gage, temperature-dependent ductility, and lower load-carrying capacity than wooden ties. Surface temperatures on crossties exceeding 50☏ higher than outside air temperatures further explain the gage issues observed throughout U.S. Data provided in this paper show changes both in dimension and in material properties with temperature for recycled plastic and composite railroad ties. Recycled plastic has some potential advantages over traditional treated wood for the manufacture of railroad ties, but it also has variable material behavior characteristics. The objective of this paper is to perform a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) style assessment of recycled plastic railroad ties for military use and the associated effects on military transportation. ![]() One potential solution is to repurpose or recycle plastic into civil infrastructure. Plastic usage has reached unprecedented levels worldwide, and plastic waste disposal has likewise risen from a matter of concern among industrialized nations to a crisis level across the globe. All subjects Allied Health Cardiology & Cardiovascular Medicine Dentistry Emergency Medicine & Critical Care Endocrinology & Metabolism Environmental Science General Medicine Geriatrics Infectious Diseases Medico-legal Neurology Nursing Nutrition Obstetrics & Gynecology Oncology Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Otolaryngology Palliative Medicine & Chronic Care Pediatrics Pharmacology & Toxicology Psychiatry & Psychology Public Health Pulmonary & Respiratory Medicine Radiology Research Methods & Evaluation Rheumatology Surgery Tropical Medicine Veterinary Medicine Cell Biology Clinical Biochemistry Environmental Science Life Sciences Neuroscience Pharmacology & Toxicology Biomedical Engineering Engineering & Computing Environmental Engineering Materials Science Anthropology & Archaeology Communication & Media Studies Criminology & Criminal Justice Cultural Studies Economics & Development Education Environmental Studies Ethnic Studies Family Studies Gender Studies Geography Gerontology & Aging Group Studies History Information Science Interpersonal Violence Language & Linguistics Law Management & Organization Studies Marketing & Hospitality Music Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution Philosophy Politics & International Relations Psychoanalysis Psychology & Counseling Public Administration Regional Studies Religion Research Methods & Evaluation Science & Society Studies Social Work & Social Policy Sociology Special Education Urban Studies & Planning BROWSE JOURNALS
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