Abstract: This article describes how, after 50 years of development, today's slab track designs are suitable for almost all applications. Offering excellent ride quality and low maintenance, slab track is becoming the standard trackform for new lines. The use of concrete slab track for new railways is certain to increase, particularly on high speed and urban passenger lines where much of the route is located on elevated structures or in tunnels. With non-ballast trackforms available to meet the needs of almost every conceivable situation, including infrastructure settlement, there is no justification to use ballasted track as a default system. The prime reasons preventing even greater use of slab track are probably concerns regarding the higher capital costs at installation and a general lack of knowledge on the availability, cost-benefits and performance characteristics of the various trackforms. While replacing existing ballasted track with slab track can rarely be justified, slab trackform for new lines comes with strong recommendations because it offers so many benefits. These include permanent track alignment and track geometry, establishing fixed clearances to structures and platforms, and ensuring consistent track stiffness that will provide good ride quality and virtually eliminate track maintenance. The article describes the key milestones that have led to the latest slab track designs and recalls some of the history of slab track for main lines.
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-08-01
Language: en
Type: article
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