The cement and asphalt mortar (CA mortar) used in the China Railway Track System (CRTS) I ballastless slab track may encounter a coupling fatigue effect under the high-frequency vibration, load and high-and-low temperature cycles, and the deterioration under fatigue may happen during service of the high-speed railway. In this study, the performance degradation and its mechanism of the CA mortar with and without polymer emulsion incorporated under the coupling fatigue effects of the high-frequency vibration, load and temperature were studied by using an anti-fatigue testing device specially developed for the CA mortar used in the ballastless slab track of the high-speed railway. The results showed that the deformation capacity of the CA mortar for CRTS I slab ballastless slab track decreased after fatigue test under simulated service environment, presenting a typical brittle characteristic and an obvious reduction of the ductility and toughness. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observation and the mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) analysis showed that the volume of the macropore decreased whereas that of the micropore increased after the fatigue test. The asphalt in the hardened CA mortar revealed a softening and migration from the bulk paste to fill the pore and make the structure denser and even ooze out of the CA mortar under the high-frequency vibration and high temperature. Through incorporating the polymer emulsion, the anti-fatigue property of the CA mortar was obviously improved, which can prevent the CA mortar from losing its elastic adjustment function too early. Though increase of the strength and elastic modulus for the CA mortar after severe service is beneficial to the stability of train running, the comfort level and safety of the train operation may decline due to the gradual reduction of the ductility & toughness and the gradual loss of the elastic damping adjustment function of the CA mortar between the base concrete slab and the track slab.
Keywords: ballastless slab track; cement asphalt mortar; fatigue; high-frequency vibration; mechanical characteristic.