Download - ETD-02-01

© ARTC. This document is the confidential property of Australian Rail Track Corporation.

DisclaimerThis document is for internal use by the Australian Rail Track Corporation LTD (ARTC) only and may not be relied upon by any other party.

ARTC: 1. does not accept any liability or responsibility whatsoever for this document in respect to any use or reliance upon it by any other party;and 2. does not provide any warranty as to the accuracy or reliability of this document.

This document is uncontrolled when printed. See ARTC Intranet for latest version.

Discipline: Engineering (Track & Civil) Category: Standard

Concrete Sleepers (MediumDuty) - Design

ETD-02-01

Applicability

ARTC Network Wide Western Jurisdiction

New South Wales Victoria

Primary Source

RIC Standard C 3109 Version 3.1/TDS 01 Draft Version 2.0 Jul 05, AS 1085.14 - 2003

Document Status

Version Date Reviewed Prepared by Reviewed by Endorsed Approved

2.1 05 Jan 07 Standards &Systems

Standards &Systems

Standards &Technical ServicesEngineer

ManagerStandards &Systems05/01/2007

Amendment Record

Version Date Reviewed Clause Description of Amendment

1.0 13 Jan 06 Various Amended to suit Medium Duty concrete sleepers. Issued as CommonStandard ETD-02-01 (supersedes NSW Standard TDS 01“Prestressed Concrete Sleepers – Design” Version 1.2)

2.0 10 May 06 5.3 and 8 Requirement for ballast interlocking features on the sides of sleepersand the twin-block sleeper option removed

2.1 05 Jan 2007 4.2 Addition of text regarding tolerances for track gauge for new rail

Engineering (Track & Civil) StandardETD-02-01 Concrete Sleepers (Medium Duty) - Design

Contents

Version 2.1 Date of last revision: 05 Jan 07 of 7This document is uncontrolled when printed. See ARTC Intranet for latest version.

Contents

1 General Description ................................................................................ 3

2 Definitions .............................................................................................. 3

3 References.............................................................................................. 3

4 Design Requirements.............................................................................. 4

4.1 General ............................................................................................ 4

4.2 Track Details ..................................................................................... 4

4.3 Sleeper Dimensions............................................................................ 5

4.4 Design Parameters ............................................................................. 5

4.5 Installation, Handling and Maintenance................................................. 5

4.6 System Performance .......................................................................... 5

4.7 Allowance for Retrofit ......................................................................... 5

5 Sleeper Marking...................................................................................... 6

6 Product Approval Requirements ............................................................. 6

7 Previous Installation Experience ............................................................ 6

8 Sleeper Performance and Tests in Accordance with AS 1085.14............. 7


General Description


1 General DescriptionThis Standard details requirements for the design of concrete sleepers having resilientfastenings and insulators designed in accordance with ARTC Standard ETD-02-02 for use ontrack having nominal 25 t axle load or less. Concrete sleepers supplied for use in Australian RailTrack Corporation track shall meet these design requirements.

Concrete sleepers for special applications including multi-gauge tracks and turnout bearers arenot covered by this Standard.

2 DefinitionsConcrete sleeper A sleeper consisting of appropriately formed reinforced concrete which,

when prestressed, includes the deformed reinforcing bars (tendons) whichare stressed before casting the concrete.

Cast in shoulder A component that prevents lateral movement of the rail foot and providesanchorage for the resilient fastening system.

Resilient Fastenings Elastic steel clips attached to sleepers and designed to engage rail flanges.These clips fasten rails to the sleepers providing lateral support. Standardresilient fastenings also generate toe load at the rail flange providingresistance to longitudinal movement, rail roll and rail lateral shift.

Monoblock sleeper Standard concrete sleeper cast in a single piece.

Medium Duty Pertains to track having traffic not exceeding nominal 25 t axle loads normore than 25 MGT annual traffic.

3 ReferencesThe design shall be based on relevant Australian Standards and Codes of Practice and/or thereferenced standards specified in this document.

Referenced Standards include:

AS 1085.14 – Prestressed Concrete Sleepers

AS 1085.19 – Resilient fastening assemblies

AS 1085.1 – Rails

ARTC Standard ETD-02-02 – Resilient Rail Fastenings for Medium Duty Concrete Sleepers -Design

ARTC NSW Standard TDS 09 – Mainline Track Geometry.

ARTC NSW Standard TDS 13 – Base Operating Condition Standards of Track Geometry

ARTC NSW Standard TEP 01 – Evaluation & Approval of Track Components

Other internationally accepted and proven standards providing these are at least equivalent toAS 1085.14.

All references relate to the latest Standard versions, including amendments and relevantsuperseding Standards.

http://extranet.artc.com.au/docs/engineering/common_standards/track/etd_02_02_resilient_rail_fastenings_design.pdf


http://extranet.artc.com.au/nswdocs/nsw_engineering/engineering_standards/track/TDS%2009%20-%20C%202200%20-%20Mainline%20Track%20Geometry.pdf

http://extranet.artc.com.au/nswdocs/nsw_engineering/engineering_standards/track/TEP%2001%20-%20C%205200%20-%20Evaluation%20and%20Approval%20of%20Track%20Components.pdf


Design Requirements


4 Design Requirements

4.1 GeneralSleepers shall be monoblock type cast as pretensioned concrete “Medium Duty” for general usewith axle loads up to 25 tonne.

The design shall be in accordance with AS 1085.14 and/or the referenced standards unlessotherwise specified in this document.

Designs shall be checked by an independent competent organisation.

Fastenings, cast in shoulders, pads, spacers and insulators shall comply with ARTC StandardETD-02-02.

4.2 Track DetailsThe sleeper will be used on mainline track of 1435mm track gauge (measured 16 mm from thetop of rail when assembled), assuming AS 1085, 47, 50, 53 or 60 kg/m rails or UIC 60 or UIC54 rails are utilised. All running rails shall slope towards the track centre-line at 1 in 20.

Tolerances for track gauge only apply to NEW rail. The following tolerances are applicable formedium duty concrete sleepers:

AS53/60kg/m rail = +4mm wide gauge, -2mm tight gauge (+4, -2)

AS47kg/m rail = +6mm wide gauge, 0mm tight gauge (+6, 0)

The railways on which the sleepers will be used include extensive lengths of sharp curves andsteep gradients where sanding is applied for improved traction. Concrete sleepers are to bedesigned to minimise potential for soffit abrasion and rail seat erosion in this type of operatingenvironment.

Track configuration is detailed in ARTC NSW Standard TDS 09, Class 1C track, with geometrymaintained as per ARTC NSW Standard TDS 13.

Sleepers will be installed in track both with and without signalling circuits and with and withoutelectrification at 1.5 kV DC and may in future be electrified at 25 kV AC.

Nominal maximum train speeds and loads may apply as detailed in Table 1.

25t Freight 23 t Freight 21t Freight 19t Passenger

80 km/h 110 km/h 115 km/h 160 km/h

Table 1 – Maximum Speeds in km/h

Track geometry assumptions (curvature, gradient, superelevation, cant deficiency etc) are to bein accord with Table 2, TDS 09 “Mainline Track Geometry” for Class 1C track, except Max Eamay be 150 mm and Max D may be 130 mm for all XPT, Freight and Passenger.

Other relevant track data includes:

Electrical Insulation - Sleeper fastening assemblies and sleepers shall ensure a minimumelectrical resistance between the running rails of 10 Ohms per track kilometre.

Sleepers shall be designed and manufactured to provide a minimum service life of fifty yearsbased on annual tonnage of 25 MGT, nominal axle load of 25 t and 667 mm nominal sleepercentres.

Rail seat pads and insulators shall be designed and manufactured to provide a minimum servicelife as required in ARTC Common Standard ETD-02-02 for this operating environment.



http://extranet.artc.com.au/nswdocs/nsw_engineering/engineering_standards/track/TDS%2009%20-%20C%202200%20-%20Mainline%20Track%20Geometry.pdf


Design Requirements


4.3 Sleeper DimensionsSleepers shall be designed to a preferred length of 2.5 m, a maximum depth at the rail seat of250 mm and a width that provides a maximum pressure on ballast of 500 kPa when calculatedin accordance with AS 1085.14.

The width of the top of concrete sleepers at rail seats shall be not less than 160 mm plus anychamfer or rounding, or such greater width as may be required for specific pads (refer ETD-02-02).

The sleeper base surface shall be rough cast while the top and side surfaces shall be smooth toprevent retention of moisture and foreign material.

Existing sleepers are typically 250mm wide at the base. This dimension is preferred butvariations will be considered.

4.4 Design ParametersDesign parameters for the calculation of minimum sleeper capacity are as generally detailed inAS 1085.14, except that, in clause 4.2.3, the multiple of the impact factor, j, and the staticwheel load, Q, shall be 250 kN.

The load distribution factor shall be determined in accordance with Figure 4.1 of AS 1085.14unless agreed otherwise.

4.5 Installation, Handling and MaintenanceSleepers must be suitable for efficient transportation on rolling stock used with track layingmachines and be stable for stacking on conventional flat-bed rolling stock or on-site.

Sleepers must be suitable for installation by track laying machines and sleeper insertionequipment of a type used for partial resleepering.

Trackwork fitted with these concrete sleepers shall be suitable for maintenance with trackmaintenance equipment. Such equipment may include tamping and regulating machines,dynamic stabilisers, track adjustment jacks, track lining machines, fastening insertion/removalequipment, ballast shoulder cleaners and undercutting machines.

For the purpose of track adjustment, rails must move freely on the rail seats. To achieve this,fastening systems must be able to be released for the adjustment and re-fastened oncompletion of the work.

4.6 System PerformanceSystem performance requires the concrete sleeper assembly to function as part of the trackstructure. The sleeper must be able to transfer all the relevant track forces generated by trainoperations and the forces of rail thermal expansion and contraction to the ballast.

The thermal expansion and contraction forces act on the continuously welded rails with atemperature range from approximately –10° C to 65° C about a nominal neutral temperature inthe range of 25° C to 45° C. Design neutral temperature is typically 35° C to 38° C.

Pads must possess sufficient edge stiffness to prevent the sleeper tilting (about its longitudinalaxis) in order to resist longitudinal track forces arising from thermal expansion, contraction andrail creep. Pads shall be high-attenuation type as detailed in ARTC Common Standard ETD-02-02.

Clips must provide enough deflection capacity to accommodate rail movement on the padindefinitely without loss of toe load.

4.7 Allowance for RetrofitThe longitudinal centre line of the sleepers must have a vertical section of at least 50mm widewhich is clear of any reinforcing steel (excluding the area of fastening)to allow for the attachmentof ancillary equipment including train stops.




Sleeper Marking


5 Sleeper MarkingThe following marks shall be displayed on each sleeper, with markings being raised or indentedto suit the manufacturer. Note that some are mandatory and some are optional:

Mark of Manufacturer (Optional)

The letters “ARTC” (Optional)

Year of manufacture (Mandatory)

Batch number (including a design type designator) (Mandatory)

Lettering and marks shall be on the upper sleeper surface between rail seats.

6 Product Approval RequirementsAll new sleeper designs shall be submitted to the ARTC Manager Standards and Systems forproduct approval. As part of the submission, the following data shall be provided by thesupplier:

One set of design calculations which should include the following.

Rail seat load.

Positive and negative resisting moments at the rail seat and at the centre of the sleeper(monoblock sleeper type).

Fastening assemblies with all cast-in components.

Tendon and/or reinforcement design stress including strain relaxation.

Tendon and/or reinforcement bond stress including losses from interface bond/anchorage.

Concrete strength including shrinkage creep and curing effects.

The effects on sleeper strength of manufacturing tolerances (eg. concrete shape andtendon placement) and the design attrition allowance.

Independent design check of the design shall be undertaken by a competent designer, anddetails of this design check and information shall be provided.

Two sets of fully detailed drawings are to be supplied for each combination of sleeper type,fastening assembly and rail size.

The drawing shall detail the following:

Sleeper and fastening system dimensions including tolerances.

Tendon type, size, material, number and location.

Cast in Shoulder type, detail and material.

Concrete mixture specification and properties.

The supplier will also be required to provide documentation of testing outcomes as specified inSection 7 and 8 below.

7 Previous Installation ExperienceAll components must be equivalent to existing designs that have been proven in track underconditions of service similar to those detailed in this performance specification and referenceddocuments. This should include corrugation, rail flow, head check, wheel burn and weld dip railhead conditions. Reference site details and contact persons able to objectively discuss sleepersystem performance shall be provided.


Sleeper Performance and Tests in Accordance with AS 1085.14


8 Sleeper Performance and Tests in Accordancewith AS 1085.14AS 1085.14 – 2003, Railway track material, Part 14: Prestressed concrete sleepers, Appendix Bsection 2 lists additional information to be provided by the purchaser. For completeness, thefollowing lists each item and provides the required information or cross-refers to this standardor to referenced documents.

a) AS 1085.14 applies.

b) General information:

i. Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).

ii. The sleepers may be installed anywhere on ARTC’s network.

iii. The nominal track gauge is 1435 mm.

iv. Rail size is specified in section 4.2 above.

v. The maximum axle load will be 25 t.

vi. The annual gross tonnage will be up to 20M.

vii. Speed will be a maximum of 160 km/h for XPT type passenger trains and 115 km/hfor freight trains.

viii. Maximum grade is 1:30.

ix. Minimum curve radius is 200 m.

x. Insulation to suit track signalling circuits is required.

xi. Track may be electrified to either 1.5 kV DC or 25 kV AC.

xii. The full range of Australian climatic conditions from alpine to desert may apply.

c) Track information:

(i), (ii), (iii), (iv) – ETD-02-01 applies.

d) Sleeper design information:

i. Refer to section 4.4 above.

ii. Refer to section 4.2 above.

iii. The preferred sleeper dimensions are set out in Section 4.3. The cross-sectionaldimensions shall be determined such as to meet the requirements of section 4 above.

iv. The positive and negative moments shall be determined in accordance with section 4of AS1085.14.

v. Other design requirements are identified in section 4 above and ARTC Standard ETD-02-02 and references and amendments thereto.

e) Fastening design information:

(i) and (ii) – refer to ETD-02-02 and references and amendments thereto.

f) A general description of manufacturing procedures shall be provided.


Download - ETD-02-01

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