Systems and methods for confining ballast samples

1. A sample confinement tool, comprising:

a first end coupled to a driving tool, the driving tool coupled to a heavy-duty vehicle;

a second end;

a first steel member; and

a second steel member coupled to the first steel member, a portion of the second steel member overlapping the first steel member, the second steel member having three sides;

wherein the sample confinement tool is operable to:

insert a predetermined depth below a ballast surface;

collect a ballast sample within the second end of the sample confinement tool;

confine the ballast sample within the second end of the sample confinement tool by mechanically compressing the ballast sample; and

release the ballast sample into a sample receptacle by mechanically decompressing the ballast sample.

2. The sample confinement tool of claim 1 , further comprising

a hydraulic actuator.

3. The sample confinement tool of claim 2 , wherein the hydraulic actuator is operable to:

rotate the second steel member in a first direction relative to the first steel member to mechanically compress the ballast sample; and

rotate the second steel member in a second direction relative to the first steel member to mechanically decompress the ballast sample.

4. The sample confinement tool of claim 1 , wherein the sample confinement tool is a hollow square tube that is approximately four feet in length, approximately eight inches in depth, and approximately eight inches in width.

5. The sample confinement tool of claim 1 , wherein:

the sample confinement tool is coupled to one or more hydraulic lines; and

the one or more hydraulic lines are coupled to a hydraulic circuit of the heavy-duty vehicle.

6. The sample confinement tool of claim 1 , further operable to vibrate, using the driving tool, until the second end reaches the predetermined depth below the ballast surface.

7. The sample confinement tool of claim 1 , wherein:

the heavy-duty vehicle is a backhoe;

the driving tool is a vibrating tool; and

the ballast surface is a bed of a railroad track.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a first end;

a second end;

a first steel member; and

a second steel member coupled to the first steel member, a portion of the second steel member overlapping the first steel member, the second steel member having three sides;

wherein the apparatus is operable to:

insert a predetermined depth below a ballast surface;

collect a ballast sample within the second end of the apparatus;

confine the ballast sample within the second end of the apparatus by mechanically compressing the ballast sample; and

release the ballast sample into a sample receptacle by mechanically decompressing the ballast sample.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising

a hydraulic actuator.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , the hydraulic actuator operable to:

rotate the second steel member in a first direction relative to the first steel member to mechanically compress the ballast sample; and

rotate the second steel member in a second direction relative to the first steel member to mechanically decompress the ballast sample.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is a hollow square tube that is approximately four feet in length, approximately eight inches in depth, and approximately eight inches in width.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the apparatus is coupled to one or more hydraulic lines; and

the one or more hydraulic lines are coupled to a hydraulic circuit of a heavy-duty vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further operable to vibrate until the second end of the apparatus reaches the predetermined depth below the ballast surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the first end is coupled to a driving tool; and

the ballast surface is a bed of a railroad track.

15. A method, comprising:

inserting a sample confinement tool a predetermined depth below a ballast surface, the sample confinement tool comprising:

a first end;

a second end;

a first steel member; and

a second steel member coupled to the first steel member, a portion of the second steel member overlapping the first steel member, the second steel member having three sides;

collecting a ballast sample within the second end of the sample confinement tool;

confining the ballast sample within the second end of the sample confinement tool by mechanically compressing the ballast sample; and

releasing the ballast sample into a sample receptacle by mechanically decompressing the ballast sample.

16. The method of claim 15 , the sample confinement tool further comprising

a hydraulic actuator.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

rotating, using the hydraulic actuator, the second steel member in a first direction relative to the first steel member to mechanically compress the ballast sample; and

rotating, using the hydraulic actuator, the second steel member in a second direction relative to the first steel member to mechanically decompress the ballast sample.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the sample confinement tool is a hollow square tube that is approximately four feet in length, approximately eight inches in depth, and approximately eight inches in width.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising coupling one or more hydraulic lines to the sample confinement tool and to a hydraulic circuit of a heavy-duty vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising vibrating, using a driving tool, the sample confinement tool until the second end of the sample confinement tool reaches the predetermined depth below the ballast surface.