In railroad construction, concrete, wood, or steel sleepers are the most common types. However, in the most modern rail systems and rail networks, the concrete has achieved more and more preference.
Especially in projects for high-speed trains and for transporting heavier loads on axles, concrete sleepers present benefits that stand out for differentials such as their high durability, low maintenance requirements and safety.
Continue reading today's article and discover more about the advantages and uses of concrete sleepers. This can be an opportunity to diversify your company's portfolio. Follow up below.
What are concrete sleepers?
This artifact had its first design created in the 1800s, however its production began in 1904, for the Swiss federal railway. Nowadays, It is estimated that there are around 1,250,000 kilometers of tracks around the world for which approximately 3,000 million sleepers are used.
These are fundamental elements of railways, positioned in a direction transverse to the axis of the track, on top of which the tracks are inserted. Together with the fixing system, the sleepers make up the joining element between the ballast and the rail, thus constituting the structure of the track.
The sleeper withstands high specific requests applied under the tracks, transferring these to the ballast and subblast, thus being essential for the correct functioning of the railroad structure.
For a long time, wood was the main material used to make this element. Today, concrete is on the rise.
What are the differences between concrete sleepers and other materials?
As the costs and scarcity of wood increased, especially after the Second World War, in Europe, wood sleepers began to be replaced by those made of concrete.
In addition to the issue of the greater difficulty in acquiring good quality wood, other factors boosted this movement. For example, wood has a shorter lifespan and is subject to damage caused by fungi, insects, or even environmental conditions.
While steel sleepers have their advantages, they are also not considered the best choice for many projects because they are vulnerable to corrosion. In addition to the fact that they are associated with sound discomfort, generated when vehicles pass on the railways.
In turn, concrete sleepers have several advantages over wood or steel sleepers and are, therefore, the preferred choice in the construction or renovation of railways and railway projects around the world.
Among the differentials of this model are:
- Stability and superior load capacity for the track;
- Higher lateral and vertical resistance;
- Reduced costs for maintaining loose rails and fasteners and derailments;
- Sturdy fixings;
- Unlike wood and steel, concrete sleepers do not deteriorate or corrode upon exposure to weather;
- Ballast economy;
- Longer lifespan: estimated to be around 50 years;
- Improved performance, even under severe traffic;
- Concrete sleepers are not flammable and reduce the chance of fire on the tracks;
- Sustainable choice: concrete castings can be crushed and all their components can be recycled;
- Greater efficiency for projects and budgets: fewer concrete seeds are needed per kilometer compared to wood, for example.
What are the main types of concrete sleepers?
In Brazilian railways, two types are mainly used:
1. Reinforced concrete bi-block
This type consists of a connection made by a metal profile between two concrete blocks armed. These sleepers are lighter and more flexible, allowing for smooth rolling, good lateral resistance, and track stability.
2. Prestressed concrete monoblock
This type consists of a single piece of monolithic girder of prestressed concrete. It can be recommended, for example, for application on mixed-gauge railways and those where axle loads are higher.
The model provides good anchorage to the track, especially because of its greater weight, and helps to avoid horizontal and lateral displacements. The ABNT 11709 standard contains important requirements for its manufacture.
What are the uses and services of concrete sleepers?
To make up the railroad structure, the concrete sleepers are made in specific formats for the project, already providing for the slope required for the positioning of the tracks.
Sleepers perform the function of receiving and transmitting to the ballast the forces made by loads, vehicles and wagons, offering support to the rails, allowing them to be fixed, which causes the line gauge to remain unchanged. Thus, it also serves to guarantee and increase the safety of railroads.
To fulfill their function, concrete sleepers must be manufactured in a suitable size to serve as support so that the ballast's working rate is reduced in relation to the permissible pressure.
In addition, the inputs used in the production of concrete must have the physico-chemical characteristics recommended by the standards of the Brazilian Technical Standards Association (ABNT). Os moulds they must also follow the design prescribed in the standards, especially in ABNT BR 1709:2015.
Are there other uses besides the iron sector?
Yes, concrete sleepers can also be adapted to compose walkways, steps, decorated paths and signage in gardens, for example.
With this use, they are especially applied to landscaping projects of different sizes, residential and commercial, with varied finishes in terms of colors, textures, sizes and models.
Those that simulate wood are in high demand, combining a differentiated aesthetic appeal with the unique qualities of concrete.
Why consider including concrete sleepers in your company's portfolio?
The concrete sleeper has been increasingly in demand for projects of new railway lines in the country, as well as for the renovation of older lines. Given Brazil's continental extension, it is expected that the railway network will continue to develop, which will further increase the demand for this artifact.
There are, at the moment, several projects for the implementation of railways in the country. In recent times, there has been an increase in the use of railway mode for Grain transportation and logistics flow, and this also helps to boost the development of railroads and expand the demand for elements such as concrete sleepers.
It is also believed that, in the coming years, lines that are no longer operating will be reactivated and that specific sections will be created to make cargo transportation in the country more competitive and less expensive and dependent on road transport.
Therefore, entrepreneurs who already have a business structure and work with concrete artifacts they can find opportunities in this segment to expand their operations and their client portfolio.
In addition, as we have seen, concrete sleepers also have a specific use for landscape projects. This may be an easier gateway to start working with these artifacts for smaller projects.
This may be a good opportunity to increase the profitability of your company, after all, landscaping is quite on the rise and is perceived as an important differential in the launches of real estate projects.
What did you think of this content? What about the opportunity to expand your portfolio by betting on the production of concrete sleepers? Leave your message in the comments and continue to follow our blog to keep up to date.
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