Presto releases GEOWEB ballast research

On Feb. 21, 2018, Presto Geosystems, manufacturer of the HDPE GEOWEB^® base stabilization system, released results from rigorous railroad-track research performed to quantify the reinforcement benefit of GEOWEB-confined ballast as compared to unconfined ballast.

The company said the research was a cooperative effort under the direction of Ben Leshchinsky, Ph.D., P.E., of Oregon State University, and Jie Han, Ph.D., P.E., of the University of Kansas. The results substantiate the effectiveness of GEOWEB-confined ballast for reducing ballast movement and settlement, Presto said, decreasing subgrade pressures and increasing stability and rail performance—all of which resulted in a substantial reduction of maintenance and an increase in ballast life, even over weak subgrades.

“Enduring well-designed ballast is the foundation on which successful rail lines operate,” said Presto Geosystems director Bill Handlos, P.E. “We’ve been working with the railroads for over 30 years to stabilize their track ballast and shore up embankments. This research will help more railroads realize the benefits of GEOWEB-confined ballast, and reduce capital and maintenance expenses each year for the upkeep of high-quality ballast layers.”

For more information about the research and Presto’s GEOWEB base stabilization system, visit https://tinyurl.com/PrestoGeowebResearch.