Abstract
Elastic elements such as rail pads, under sleeper pads and under ballast mats are railway components that allow for a reduction in track deterioration and vibrations. And they are furthermore commonly used to obtain an optimal vertical stiffness of the infrastructure. However, the use of elastomeric materials can increase construction costs and the consumption of raw materials. Thus, the utilization of used tire layers offers an alternative to reuse an abundant waste reducing the cost of elastic elements. In addition, an innovator technique allows deconstructing tire layers without grinding up the material, reducing production costs at the same time that tire properties are remained. This research is focused on the study of the viability of developing elastic components from used tire layers by evaluating the influence of thickness, the resistance capacity of the elements and their behavior in a ballast box. Results indicate the ability of tire pads to manufacture elastic elements (rail pads, under sleeper pads and under ballast mats) to be used in railway tracks.
Highlights
Elastic elements are resilient components used in railway tracks with the aim of providing elasticity in the vertical sense, in the cross-sections of tracks
Laboratory tests were performed to measure the influence of tire thickness in the behavior of rail pads, Under sleeper pads (USP) and Under ballast mats (UBM) as well as the materials resistance capacity and their effect on ballasted tracks performance
Due to the decrease in vertical static and dynamic stiffness of elastic elements when its thickness is increased, a wide range of wide range of rail pads with diverse mechanical response can be used in railway tracks
Summary
Elastic elements are resilient components used in railway tracks with the aim of providing elasticity in the vertical sense, in the cross-sections of tracks. The use of elastic components could lead to an important increase in track construction costs as a consequence of the price of these materials with high quality properties [4]. This fact, in combination with the implementation of sustainable policies in the railway system, has encouraged researchers, industrial manufactures and railway authorities to develop and implement elastic materials from by-industrial products
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