This study conducts a full-scale model test in laboratory to investigate the influence of loading magnitude and frequency on load diffusion and its contribution to ballast bed deformation and stiffness. The highlights of the experiment as well as the results in this study are listed as follow:

An increase in the operation speed of high-speed trains often leads to an increase in the loading frequency on subgrade soil. Hence, the long-term dynamic behavior of the subgrade and the service performance of high-speed tracks are affected. To determine the stress-strain characteristics of granular soil under high-frequency loading, a triaxial test setup was modified to investigate the effects of loading acceleration and duration, water content, vibration frequency, cell pressure, and initial soil density. The experimental results indicate that there are reductions in axial stress and volumetric strain during high-frequency loading. The reduction in axial stress is as high as 40%, and that of volumetric strain, which is permanent, could approach 0.1%. The stress reduction, strain compression, and excess pore pressure are found to vary linearly with vibration acceleration when a/g>0.02. The reduction in strength and strains are found to depend on the loading acceleration and effective cell pressure, but independent of the loading duration, water content, frequency, and initial density. A threshold acceleration a=0.02g is observed, below which the changes in the shear strength and volumetric strain induced by vibration are negligible. At high vibration acceleration, the strain amplitude could increase, eventually leading to a collapse of the specimen.

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