Long-Lasting Waterproofing Solution for the Subgrade of High-Speed Railway in Cold Region

A durable waterproofing layer for the subgrade of a high-speed railway is of paramount importance to fight against the decrease of the bearing capacity and maintain the smoothness of the subgrade due to surface water infiltration. This article overviewed the state-of-the-practice waterproofing systems in transportation infrastructure and summarized the functional requirements of the waterproofing layer on a high-speed railway and the technical standards of asphalt concrete waterproofing layers, based on a practice with a test section on the Harbin-Qiqihaer high-speed railway. Field monitoring results of a self-compacted asphalt waterproofing system were presented, and its properties were analyzed with a comparison with the fiber-reinforced cement concrete system. It was concluded that self-compacted asphalt is a long-lasting waterproofing solution for the subgrade of high-speed railways in cold regions.