AU2010300060A1

AU2010300060A1 - Load-bearing plate- or bar-shaped molded bodies for track construction

Info

Publication number: AU2010300060A1
Application number: AU2010300060A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bernhard Neumann
Original assignee: Gmundner Fertigteile GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Gmundner Fertigteile GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2009-09-22
Filing date: 2010-08-30
Publication date: 2012-04-05
Also published as: AT11535U1; WO2011035354A2; WO2011035354A3; JP2013505381A; EP2480721A2

Abstract

The invention relates to plate- or bar-shaped molded bodies for track construction, in particular for level crossings. The molded bodies (1, 1a, 1b, 11) are composed of a composite material that contains rock fibers (2) that are cut short, long-fiber rock fibers (3, 13), as a binder (5) a resin made of a combination of two reactive resins, and preferably also a powdery filler (4). Preferably basalt fibers are provided as the rock fibers (2, 3, 13) The molded bodies are preferably provided with a soft footing layer (10) on at least one side surface. Also, two or more molded bodies having adjacent side surfaces (6a, 6b) are joined together, wherein recesses (7) into which positioning bodies (9) can be inserted are provided in the adjacent side surfaces (6a, 6b) in order to mutually position the molded bodies.

Description

- 1 Load-Bearing Plate- or Bar-Shaped Molded Bodies for Track Con struction The invention relates to load-bearing plate-or bar-shaped molded bodies for track construction, in particular for the construc tion of level crossings, said molded bodies being composed of a composite material which is formed of small particles, fibers and a binder on the basis of a synthetic material. There are known molded bodies of the aforementioned kind which are composed of a composite material that is formed of small particles and a binder on the basis of a polyester resin, where in in the composite material also glass fibers are embedded. The choice of the binder and the fact that glass fibers are used in the production of the molded bodies give cause for serious con cerns with regard to the environmental load caused by the manu facturing process and with regard to the occupational hygiene. For the environmental load there are responsible primarily the constituents of which the polyester resin is formed as well as styrene which is generally added to said constituents in larger quantities, wherein said substances also cause a considerable pollution of the workplace atmosphere, and wherein, moreover, the processing of glass fibers also entails health risks. And when the finished molded bodies are used, the glass fibers also often play a disadvantageous role when the ends of the glass fi bers come to be positioned such that they lie at the surface of the molded bodies. It is on object of the present invention to create molded bodies of the above-mentioned kind, which, with respect to their manu facturing, comprise more favourable conditions with regard to the environmental load and the occupational hygiene than in the known case, and wherein also the finished molded bodies have better properties than in the known case. The molded bodies which are designed according to the present invention are characterized in that the molded bodies are com posed of a composite material which contains as a fiber material rock fibers that are cut short as well as long-fiber rock fi bers, which contains as a binder a resin consisting of a combi- - 2 nation of two reactive resins, and which preferably also con tains a powdery filler. Through said implementation, the above indicated object can be solved satisfactorily. By the use of a resin consisting of a combination of two reactive resins as a binder, the environmental load - which results from the manufac turing process of the molded bodies due to the not yet hardened binder - can be kept relatively low; when the said resin is used as a binder, also a very good adhesion of the binder at the rock fibers provided as the fiber material and also at the filler particles is obtained, and as a result thereof, very good strength values are achieved for the molded bodies which have to withstand manifold high stresses during railway operations; ow ing to the close bond between the rock fibers and the binder, the molded bodies designed according to the invention also do not show any irritations caused by exposed ends of fibers that are located in the surface area of the molded bodies, when the finished molded bodies are handled or used; and also the cost factor with regard to the binder seems to be favourable. Through the wide variability of the composition given for the mentioned combination, also the mutual behavior of the constituents of the composite material with respect to each other during the mixing process, the behavior of the constituents forming the composite material during hardening, in particular the hardening time, and, finally, also the elasticity behavior and strength behavior of the finished molded bodies can be substantially influenced in a manner adapted to the respectively given specific case. Gener ally speaking, a very good strength can be achieved for the molded bodies, in particular with regard to compressive stress, tensile load and flexural stress. Advantageously, as a binder a combination of polyurethane resin and polyester resin is provided. A preferred embodiment of the molded bodies designed according to the present invention is characterized in that basalt fibers are provided as the fiber material. From the existing pairing of basalt fibers with a resin consisting of a combination of two reactive resins, extremely favourable properties, in particular mechanically favourable properties, of the molded bodies will result.

- 3 It is also advantageous to provide that as a powdery filler which is preferably provided, a mixture of a fine-particle inor ganic material and of a fine-particle organic-chemical material is provided, wherein the powdery filler is provided in an amount of 5% to 50% of the total weight of the respective molded body. Thereby, during the mixing process a favourable behavior of the mix of constituents which is provided for the formation of the composite material can be achieved, and, furthermore, also a good surface smoothness and a good compressive strength as well as a good accuracy of shape can be obtained for the molded bo dies which are produced by means of the composite material. If seen from the point of view of the geometric form of the molded bodies to be produced and if also seen from the point of view of the manipulation required during the use of the molded bodies, it often seems to be favourable to put the molded bodies together from several parts which were produced separately befo rehand. Owing to the good accuracy of shape and the good surface strength which can be obtained within the scope of the inventive technique, the individual molded bodies which have to be joined are qualified quite well for this. In order to also achieve a good mutual positioning of the molded bodies which shall be joined to form a multi-part structure which will be able to withstand also larger loads and stresses, it can be provided ac cording to a preferred embodiment that in at least one side sur face of the plate- or bar-shaped molded bodies at least one re cess is provided into which a positioning body can be inserted which is provided for the mutual fixing of the position of two such molded bodies which are joined together by their side sur faces each having at least one such recess. Here, the coherence can be further intensified and can take effect in the sense of a contraction of the molded bodies to be joined together, when it is provided that the at least one recess is designed such that it is undercut. Molded bodies which are to be used in track construction very often come to rest on irregularly or ruggedly formed surfaces or come to abut at such surfaces, wherein relatively large forces are to be transferred to such surfaces or are to be received - 4 from said surfaces. In order to counteract the development of small-scale load peaks at the surface of molded bodies designed according to the invention, which load peaks can for instance be created when molded bodies designed according to the invention rest on a ballast bed, and in order to achieve at the same time a displacement-inhibiting and full support of molded bodies de signed according to the invention on such irregularly formed or rugged surfaces, according to an embodiment of the invention it is provided that on at least one side surface of the molded bo dies a footing layer is provided which is softer than the compo site material forming the molded bodies. Here, for different kinds of application it is also advantageous when it is provided that footing layers are provided on two side surfaces of the molded bodies, said two side surfaces lying opposite to each other. An advantageous embodiment of the subject matter of the inven tion is characterized in that the molded bodies are track slee pers, wherein rovings continuously running along the longitudin al extension of the track sleepers are provided as the long fiber rock fibers. In this connection it is advantageously pro vided that a footing layer is provided on the top side surface and on the bottom side surface of the molded bodies forming track sleepers. Consequently, by means of rovings provided in a continuously running manner along the sleeper length of the track sleepers, the high stresses occurring in the longitudinal direction of the sleepers during railway operations are complied with, and by means of the footing layers a compensation or ba lancing of the surface loads and a good seat of said track slee pers can be achieved. At the same time, with the footing layer provided on the top side of the track sleepers also a stable and noise-reducing seat of track cover elements on the track slee pers can be achieved. By means of the aforementioned technique of the joining together of several molded bodies to form a joined or combined body, the shape requirements which are given in different cases of appli cation for the formation of support elements or covering ele ments to be used in track construction, as for example in the area of narrow track curves or in the area of switches or - 5 points, or intersections or crossings, can be complied with in a simple manner. In order to achieve certain specified height dimensions of such joined or combined bodies which were joined together from indi vidual molded bodies, and in order to achieve certain specified layout shapes in such joined or combined molded bodies, it can be advantageously provided that the molded bodies are arranged in two layers superimposed upon each other, wherein either on the top side surface of the molded bodies of the lower layer or on the bottom side surface of the molded bodies of the upper layer a footing layer is provided. In this connection, the foot ing layer leads to a good seat of the molded bodies to the joined together upon each other, and the footing layer also pro tects the surfaces of the molded bodies against damages during a rough handling in the course of the joining or during a possible taking apart. By a mutual offset of the molded bodies which are arranged in the form layers superimposed upon each other, alto gether a very stable construction of the joined or combined body can be obtained. With a configuration of that kind, a good re sistivity against forces acting thereupon from different direc tions can be achieved when it is provided that the longitudinal extension of the molded bodies of the upper layer extends trans versely to the longitudinal extension of the molded bodies of the lower layer, when seen from above. Within the scope of the present invention, several molded bodies can also be connected to form plate-shaped structural elements, in particular plate-shaped track cover elements, by using the above-mentioned joining technique. A respective embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is characterized in that at least two molded bodies having adjacent side surfaces are joined to form one structural element, wherein in each of said side surfaces at least one recess is provided, and wherein a recess located in the one molded body faces a recess located in the other molded body, and wherein a positioning body engaging into both said recesses is provided which secures the coherence and the mutual positioning of said two molded bodies. The invention will now be explained further by means of examples - 6 with reference to the drawing in which examples of the subject matter of the invention are represented schematically. In the drawing there is shown by means of Fig. 1 an example of a bar-shaped molded body designed according to the invention in an oblique view with a one-side section; Fig. 2 shows two molded bodies which are joined together and which are designed accord ing to the invention, in an oblique view of an analogous type to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a molded body according to the invention in an oblique view, wherein the molded body is provided with a footing layer, in an oblique view; Fig. 4 shows a molded body designed according to the invention, which is provided with footing layers on side surfaces lying opposite to each other. Fig. 5 shows a level crossing in an oblique view, which is formed by using molded bodies designed according to the inven tion, in an oblique view. The bar-shaped molded body 1 represented in Fig. 1 is composed of a composite material that consists of small particles, fibers and a binder on the basis of a synthetic material. As a fiber material, said composite material contains rock fibers 2 that are cut short - as is indicated in the section S by means of short lines running in different directions - as well as also long-fiber rock fibers 3 which are symbolized by dashed lines, and said composite material also comprises a powdery filler 4 which is represented by dots in the section S. The rock fibers 2, 3 and the filler 4 are combined with a binder S to a compact mass. As a binder a resin consisting of a combination of two reactive resins is provided. Preferably basalt fibers are pro vided as the rock fibers 2, 3, wherein, for example, the length of the rock fibers 2 that are cut short can be chosen such that it lies between 2 and 25 mm and the length of the long-fiber rock fibers 3 can be chosen preferably such that it is larger than 100 mm. As the powdery filler 4 there is preferably chosen rock flour, wherein by the selection of the amount of said fil ler the mechanical properties as well as also the weight of the molded body can be influenced. In addition to the rock flour or to another inorganic material, also a fine-particle organic chemical material can be provided as a filler, whereby the me chanical properties can be modified and, if desired, molded bo- -7 dies with a lower weight can be obtained. One example of a fine particle organic-chemical material which can be used is plastic granules. The preferably provided powdery filler is used advan tageously in an amount of 5% to 50 % of the total weight of the respective molded body. As a binder a combination of polyure thane resin and polyester resin has proved successful, wherein by the use of said binder molded bodies with particularly advan tageous strength values can be obtained. Fig. 2 shows two molded bodies la, lb which each are provided with a recess 7 in one side surface 6a, 6b, into which recess 7 a positioning body 9 represented next to the molded bodies la, lb in Fig. 2 can be inserted which is used for the mutual posi tion fixing of the molded bodies la, 1b. In case of larger area extensions of the side surfaces 6a, 6b, also several such re cesses 7 can be provided in said side surfaces. In the represented case, the recesses 7 are provided with undercuts 8 at which the positioning body 9 - the cross-section of which is adapted to the shape of the recess 7 - is securely held in posi tion and, thereby, securely holds together the molded bodies la, lb which are joined together at their side surfaces 6a, 6b. Fig. 3 shows a molded body 1 which, on its side surface 6c, is provided with a footing layer 10 which is softer than the compo site material forming the molded body. Fig. 4 shows a variant thereof, in which at a molded body 1 such footing layers 10 are provided on two side surfaces 6c, 6d which lie opposite to each other. Fig. 5 shows in a schematized form a level crossing which is constructed by using molded bodies designed according to the in vention. Herein the rails 17 of the track are placed on track sleepers 11 which are implemented as molded bodies designed ac cording to the invention. Here, the long-fiber rock fibers, in particular basalt fibers, which are provided in the concept ac cording to the invention, are realized in the form of rovings 13 which run continuously along the longitudinal extension 12 of the track sleepers 11. On their top side surface 6d as well as on their bottom side surface 6c, respectively, the track slee pers 11 are provided with a footing layer 10 which is softer -8 than the composite material forming the track sleeper 11. The track sleepers 11 together form a lower layer 14 of molded bo dies which are periodically interrupted by the spaces 18 between the individual track sleepers 11. Apart from the rails 17, on said lower layer of molded bodies there is also arranged an up per layer 15 of molded bodies, the top side of which forms a traffic area lying at rail level, wherein optionally and supple mentary a road or footpath pavement is applied thereon which is not represented in detail in Fig. 5. The molded bodies designat ed with 1, la, lb of the upper layer 15 rest on the footing layer 10 which is provided on the top side surface 6d of the in dividual track sleepers. The longitudinal extension 16 of the molded bodies 1, la, lb of the upper layer 15 extends trans versely to the longitudinal extension 12 of the molded bodies of the lower layer 14 which are formed as track sleepers 11. The molded bodies la, lb which are arranged between the rails 17 of the track are joined together, with the side surfaces 6a, 6b ly ing adjacent to each other, to form a plate-shaped structural element 19, wherein in each of said side surfaces 6a, 6b at least one recess 7 is provided, and wherein a recess 7 located in the one molded body la faces a recess 7 located in the other molded body 1b, and wherein a positioning body 9 is inserted in to each pair of such recesses 7 which secures the coherence of the molded bodies la, 1b. In order to achieve an inclination of the rails 17, intermediate layers 20 can be arranged on the top side of the track sleepers 11, wherein the respectively desired degree of the rail inclination can be achieved by a correspond ing dimensioning of the intermediate layers 20. At the rail 17 represented on the left side, Fig. 5 shows a plane-parallel in termediate layer 20 which results in a straight position of said rail, and at the rail 17 represented on the right side, Fig. 5 shows a slightly conically shaped intermediate layer 20 which leads to an inclined position of said rail 17 which is represented on the right side. In order to secure the mutual po sition of the individual structural elements, connections are provided which are not shown in detail in Fig. 5. In structural arrangements which are constructed by using molded bodies designed according to the invention, as for instance the level crossing represented in Fig. 5, together with the molded - 9 bodies which are designed according to the invention, also other molded bodies can be used which are composed of concrete or of a cement-bound composite material. Such molded bodies composed of concrete or of a cement-bound composite material can for example be molded bodies which form the track sleepers or a traffic area. Herein, as is shown in Fig. 5, plate-shaped structural elements can either be formed by joining several molded bodies together or can also be of a one-piece design, for instance for forming cover elements which have to be laid such that they range from rail to rail of a track.

Claims

1. Load-bearing plate- or bar-shaped molded bodies for track construction, in particular for the construction of level cross ings, said molded bodies being composed of a composite material which is formed of small particles, fibers and a binder on the basis of a synthetic material, characterized in that the molded bodies (1, la, 1b, 11) are composed of a composite material which contains as a fiber material rock fibers (2) that are cut short as well as long-fiber rock fibers (3, 13), which contains as a binder (5) a resin consisting of a combination of two reac tive resins, and which preferably also contains a powdery filler (4).

2. Molded bodies according to claim 1, characterized in that as a binder a combination of polyurethane resin and polyester resin is provided.

3. Molded bodies according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that basalt fibers are provided as the rock fibers (2, 3, 13).

4. Molded bodies according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, characte rized in that as a powdery filler (4) which is preferably pro vided, there is provided a mixture of fine-particle inorganic material and fine-particle organic-chemical material, wherein the powdery filler is provided in an amount of 5% to 50% of the total weight of the respective molded body.

5. Molded bodies according to anyone of claims 1 to 4, characte rized in that in at least one side surface (6a, 6b) of the plate-shaped or bar-shaped molded bodies (la, 1b) there is pro vided at least one recess (7) into which a positioning body (9) can be inserted which is provided for the mutual fixing of the position of two such molded bodies (la, 1b) which are joined to gether by their side surfaces (6a, 6b) which each has at least one such recess (7). - 11

6. Molded bodies according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one recess (7) is designed such that it is undercut.

7. Molded bodies according to anyone of the foregoing claims, characterized in that on at least one side surface (6c, 6d) of the molded bodies (1, la, lb, 11) a footing layer (10) is pro vided which is softer than the composite material that forms the molded bodies.

8. Molded bodies according to claim 7, characterized in that footing layers (10) are provided on two side surfaces (6c, 6d) of the molded bodies (1, la, 1b, 11), wherein said side surfaces (6c, 6d) lie opposite to each other.

9. Molded bodies according to anyone of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the molded bodies are track sleepers (11), wherein rovings (13) continuously running along the longitudinal extension (12) of the track sleepers (11) are provided as the long-fiber rock fibers.

10. Molded bodies according to claim 9, characterized in that on the top side surface (6d) and on the bottom side surface (6c) of the molded bodies forming the track sleepers (11) a footing layer (10) is provided.

11. Structure combined of several molded bodies according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the molded bodies (1, la, lb, 11) are arranged in two layers (14, 15) superimposed upon each other, wherein either on the top side surface (6d) of the molded bodies of the lower layer (14) or on the bottom side sur face (6c) of the molded bodies of the upper layer (15) there is provided a footing layer (10).

- 12 12. Structure according to claim 11, characterized in that the longitudinal extension (16) of the molded bodies of the upper layer (15) extends transversely to the longitudinal extension (12) of the molded bodies of the lower layer (14), when seen from above.

13. Plate-shaped structural element, in particular a plate shaped track cover element, characterized in that at least two molded bodies (la, 1b) according to claim 5 or 6 having adjacent side surfaces (6a, 6b) are joined together to form a structural element (19), wherein in each of said side surfaces (Ga, 6b) at least one recess (7) is provided, and wherein a recess (7) lo cated in the one molded body (la) faces a recess (7) located in the other molded body (lb), and wherein a positioning body (9) is provided which engages into both said recesses (7) and which secures the coherence and the mutual positioning of said two molded bodies (la, lb).