• Mandar Chandrakant Bhokare

Ballastless Track Systems (BLTS) have become a preferred solution for modern metro and high-speed rail infrastructure due to their superior stability, reduced maintenance requirements, and long service life. However, Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) structural components within BLTS—such as track plinths, base slabs, and viaduct decks—commonly develop intrinsic cracks caused by thermal gradients, early-age shrinkage, cyclic loading, and environmental exposure. Understanding the growth behaviour of these intrinsic cracks is essential to ensuring long-term durability and operational safety. This review paper presents a comprehensive analysis of intrinsic crack initiation mechanisms, propagation characteristics, and influencing parameters in RCC elements used in BLTS. Comparative insights from experimental studies, analytical models, and advanced numerical simulations such as XFEM and fracture mechanics-based Stress Intensity Factor (SIF) evaluation are discussed. The study synthesizes international research findings to identify trends in crack evolution under fatigue loads, thermal cycles, and structural constraints typical to BLTS. Special emphasis is given to the prediction of residual life using performance-based deterioration models, fracture energy concepts, and condition-assessment frameworks. The review highlights key gaps related to limited field-validated models, insufficient integration of long-term monitoring data, and variability of material properties across different BLTS configurations. The paper concludes that a unified, data-driven crack growth prediction model can significantly improve life-cycle assessment, maintenance scheduling, and structural reliability of RCC elements in ballastless track systems.

"A Review on Crack Initiation, Propagation, and Residual Life Assessment of RCC Elements in Ballastless Track Systems", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 11, page no.e854-e861, November-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2511507.pdf

"A Review on Crack Initiation, Propagation, and Residual Life Assessment of RCC Elements in Ballastless Track Systems", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 11, page no. ppe854-e861, November-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2511507.pdf