Usage Analysis and Evaluation of Slab Track Constructions

Inesa Gailienė; Vaidas Ramūnas

doi:10.7250/bjrbe.2019-14.444

Usage Analysis and Evaluation of Slab Track Constructions

Authors

Inesa Gailienė Dept of Roads, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4145-7352
Vaidas Ramūnas Dept of Roads, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2472-6677

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7250/bjrbe.2019-14.444

Keywords:

ballasted track, ballastless track, Life Cycle Cost (LCC), maintenance, railway construction, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, SWOT analysis

Abstract

Slab track is one of the technical possibilities to achieve the following goals: increase the conductivity of a railway, increase the highest permitted train speed, reduce the cost of railway maintenance, and increase the railway lifetime. However, the abundance of slab road constructions that occurred during the development stages presents a challenge to railway operators, designers and researchers, about the selection of a right slab track and establishing requirements to it. The present article analyses the ballastless track constructions that are used in the European Union and other world countries. The market is analysed, and a comparative evaluation of the ballastless track construction is carried out, based on the quality and price, by rating and providing the evaluation of usability and recommendations.

References

Bilow, D. N., & Randich, G. M. (2000, December). Slab track for the next 100 years. In 2000 Annual Conference Proceedings of American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association.

Pichler, D., & Fenske, J. (2013). Ballastless track systems experiences gained in Austria and Germany. In Proc. of AREMA Annual Conference.

Systra (2016). Capacity4rail requirements, concepts and prototype test results (final). Capacity4rail, SCP3-GA-2013-605650.

Dieleman, L., Fumey, M., Robinet, A., Ramondec, P., & Martin, D. (2008, May). Experimentation of a track section without ballast on the new line of EAST EUROPEAN TGV. In 8th World Congress on Railway Research (pp. 1-16).

Gailienė, I., & Laurinavičius, A. (2017). The need and benefit of slab track: case of Lithuania. Gradevinar, 387-396. https://doi.org/10.14256/JCE.1776.2016

Michas, G. (2012). Slab Track systems for high-speed railways. Master degree project. Royal Institut of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. 95 p.

Esveld, C. (1999). Slab Track: a competetive solution. Delft University of Technology.

Esveld, C. (2003, January). Developments in high-speed track design. In IABSE Symposium Report (Vol. 87, No. 12, pp. 37-45). International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.

Marx, L., & Mosmann, D. (2013). Work procedures for permanent way maintenance. 7th revised and extended edition. DB Manual

Profillidis, V. (2016). Railway management and engineering. Routledge.

Tayabji, S. (2000). Concrete slab track for freight and high speed service applications. A survey of practice.

Mörscher, J. (1999, September). Slab track roadbeds in Germany-implementation and experience. In AREMA Annual Conferences Track & Structures.

Fröidh, O. (2014). Design for new high-speed lines, Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management 4(3): 59-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrtpm.2014.09.002

Gautier, P. E. (2015). Slab track: review of existing systems and optimization potentials including very high speed. Construction and Building Materials, 92, 9-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.03.102

Ižvolt, L., & Šmalo, M. (2014). Historical development and applications of unconventional structure of railway superstructure of the railway infrastructure of the Slovak Republic. Civil and Environmental Engineering, 10(1), 79-94. https://doi.org/10.2478/cee-2014-0010

Yokoyama, A. (2010). Infrastructure for high speed lines in Japan. International Practisum on Implementing High-Speed Rail in the United States.