Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DINTRA (Innovative railway sleeper design increasing track lateral resistance, reducing significantly costs related to track misalignment events)

Teaser

Railway track lateral movement occurs when lateral resistance is not enough hold track in place. This movements known as track misalignment, or track buckle. Track alignment must be restored as even small misalignments introduce additional dynamic forces in the vehicle.Track...

Summary

Railway track lateral movement occurs when lateral resistance is not enough hold track in place. This movements known as track misalignment, or track buckle. Track alignment must be restored as even small misalignments introduce additional dynamic forces in the vehicle.

Track maintenance operation to restore track alignment (tamping) require 26% of track maintenance and renewal cost (2.989M€/ year in Europe). Besides, cost of rail grinding and renewal operations are estimated to be around 10% of total EU railway maintenance and renewal cost (1.18M€/year).
Moreover track misalignment eventually causes a great risk of derailment. It is estimated that around 25% of train derailments are due to track geometry deterioration, causing on average 18 derailment per year in Europe with an associated economic loss of 32M€, not considering the potential human losses.

To solve this situation ACCISA has developed DINTRA sleepers, and innovative solution capable of increasing significantly track lateral resistance. Reduction of track maintenance and renewal cost and track buckle events and derailments due to track misalignment will be experienced DINTRA sleepers have a low implementation cost and no need of extra calculation or new equipment for their implementation.

Work performed

The total duration of the project is established in 24 months. This report includes the work and progress performed during the first 12 months. The project consists of 6 Work Packages (WP) which include the following thematic blocks:


• WP 1. Analysis of current situation in chosen section of FGC railway lines where track lateral resistance needs to be significantly increased by DINTRA sleepers
• WP 2. Full scale demonstration element in operational environment of DINTRA sleepers for metric gauge track
• WP 3. Optimization of DINTRA sleepers manufacturing, transport and installation process. Homologation of DINTRA sleepers for international and Iberian gauge track
• WP 4. Full scale demonstration element in operational environment of DINTRA sleepers for Iberian and international gauge track using optimized process
• WP 5. Exploitation and dissemination activities
• WP 6. Coordination and project management

WP 1, WP 2, WP 3, WP 5 and WP 6 have been partially or totally developed. Their stage of development is shown below:

WP 1:

Composed of 2 tasks; all three (Task 1.1 to 1.2) were applicable for the current year:

• Task 1.1: Compliance estimate: 100%. Actually accomplished: 100%. The result of this task has been characterized the problem and compare present situation with DINTRA sleepers have been installed, corresponding to the deliverable D1.1i.

• Task 1.2: Compliance estimate: 100%. Actually accomplished: 100%. The result of this task has been the registered and analysed data through modelization of track transversal dynamics., corresponding to the deliverable D1.21 and D1.2f.
WP 2:

Formed of a total of 5 tasks; only four (Task 2.1 to 2.2) was applicable to the current year:

• Task 2.1: Compliance estimate: 100%. Actually accomplished: 100%. The result of this task was the
develop a sleeper renewal project for metric gauge section, corresponding to the deliverable D2.1.

• Task 2.2: Compliance estimate: 100%. Actually accomplished: 100%. The result of this task was the design and homologation for metric gauge track, corresponding to the deliverable D2.2 and milestone M1.

• Task 2.3: Compliance estimate: 100%. Actually accomplished: 100%. The result of this task was the installation and demonstration the good results of DINTRA sleepers, corresponding to the deliverable D2.2 and milestone M1.

• Task 2.4: Compliance estimate: 67%. Actually accomplished: 67%. The result of this task has been the implementation a sensoring system, corresponding to the deliverable D2.3


WP 3:
Composed of a total of three tasks; all three (Task 3.1 to 3.3) were applicable for the current year:

• Task 3.1: Compliance estimate: 86%. Actually accomplished 67%. The result of this task has been the implementation and homologation according to international standards, corresponding to the next deliverable D3.1

• Task 3.2: Compliance estimate: 70%. Actually accomplished 50%.building upon documents written for the manufacturing of DINTRA into native language of the initial target countries and validation of the specifications developed in this task. This corresponds to the deliverable 3.2i

• Task 3.3: Compliance estimate: 64%. Actually accomplished 40%. The result of this task has been the optimization DINTRA sleepers installation. This corresponds to the deliverable D3.2f

WP 5:

Formed of a total of 2 tasks; both (Task 5.1 and 5.2) were applicable to the current year:

• Task 5.1: Compliance estimate: 50%. Actually accomplished 50%. The result of this task has been the continuous analysis the market and the identification current and future competitors therefore outlining a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the project.. They are corrected in D6.1

• Task 5.2: Compliance estimate: 50%. Actually accomplished 50%. The result of this task has been developed dissemination plan, ensuring transversal coherence between all project communications channels and action in collaboration with potential

Final results

Dintra sleeper has the objective to increase the lateral resistance against the exerted forces by trains, by maximising the sleeper contact with the ballast. These sleeperswill increase 96% the stability of the track system due to the mobilization of additional ballast-sleeper lateral resistance mechanism

Moreover, Dintra sleepers will lead to a total reduction of railway track maintenance and renewal cost of 21%, thanks to: reduction of tamping frequency needed by 50% and reduction of rail wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) damange on rails by up to 46%.

Additionally, the rail lifecycle by reducing rail grinding frequency and the ballast lifecycle by reducing crushing and pulverization of ballast caused by frequent tamping operations.

These improvements will significantly reduce of tracks buckles risk, associated costs and speed limitations periods for railway freight and passenger traffic. By last, Dintra sleepers will reduce of derailment risk caused by track geometry defects.

Website & more info

More info: http://accisa.es/en/idi/.