EP1982019A2

EP1982019A2 - Method for producing a track superstructure which underwent partial foaming

Info

Publication number: EP1982019A2
Application number: EP07704520A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tim Frenzel
Original assignee: MSB Management GmbH
Current assignee: HYPERION VERWALTUNG GmbH
Priority date: 2006-02-10
Filing date: 2007-02-12
Publication date: 2008-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2027-02-12
Also published as: US20090152368A1; ES2775951T3; WO2007090901A3; WO2007090901A2; EP1982019B1; US20150115049A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for introducing a flowable and foamable reaction mixture (28) from the top into a ballast body (16) having ties (20) embedded therein, characterized in that the mixture (28) is introduced into the ballast body laterally from the ties, preferably depending on the height of the ballast body at the point of application, and in a quantity that is all the greater the more upwards in the ballast body the application point is situated. According to the invention, the mixture is adjusted in such a way that the foam formation process begins only when the front of the mixture flowing downwards inside the ballast body has reached the bottom side or the region in the vicinity thereof of the ballast body so that foam formation is carried out within the ballast body from the bottom towards the top.

Description

Method for producing a partially expanded track superstructure

The invention relates to the creation of a partially expanded track superstructure by introducing a flowable, foamable reaction mixture into subregions of the ballast body of the track superstructure,

Among the traditional and most commonly used track systems today include the gravel tracks. Optionally equipped with wood, concrete or steel sleepers. This track construction has been steadily improving since the beginning of rail traffic through practical use and theoretical recalculation.

In order to maintain an economical track system, the life of its main elements - rails, sleepers, ballast and substructure - must be properly matched. Low "life cycle costs" arise when the substructure has a longer service life than the ballast bed and the ballast bed does not have to be renewed until the sleepers have reached the end of their service life. The large increase in load due to more trains, higher axle loads and speeds As well as heavy rolling stock, in recent decades, for economic reasons, the track grid has been reinforced by the use of stiffer rail profiles and concrete sleepers. In a second phase, the substructure was rehabilitated by means of superstructure renewal, where necessary, by the installation of layer protection layers and drainage. As a result, the ballast bed actually became the weakest main element of the roadway. The improvement of the gravel properties is an important measure for ensuring a sufficient service life of the gravel ballast consisting of crushed stone, which has a high pore volume when clean. Today, speeds up to more than 300 km / h are realized on these tracks (eg TGV) and large loads are transported. The construction technology has adapted to these constructions and is today at a high level. The construction of the gravel track is from the theoretical view a complicated, complex realization. It is complicated because the ballast mass, which is not in a rigid, rigid structure, changes with dynamic influence.

This means: During the production of the track, the gravel is compacted with so-called tamping machines after the track grid has been mounted on a ballast bed of at least 30 cm in height. Now the track grid is resting on the track

Ballast bed and transfers the loads from the run on the rails on the thresholds and from there to the ballast body, the loads are then in the ballast body - idealized - distributed from gravel to gravel down to the underlying Planum down and discharged into the ground.

The purely static removal of the introduced loads achieves problem-free,

However, changes in the structure of the ballast bed are triggered by the dynamic load which occurs during the train journey.

At the train crossing it is known to positive and negative load entries. This means that the track is subjected to vertical loads and, in addition, to a relieving leading and trailing shaft. In conjunction with the dynamic frequency of Zugiauf can thus change the "stone on stone structure". The gravel stones twist, become round in the final phase and the track changes position. If this process were carried out completely evenly, this would not be a disadvantage for the track position. Due to the lines of the track - bow, straight line, bridge, various subsoil, etc. - this does not happen. It must be replugged at intervals over and over again with tamping machines in order to maintain a good track position in the long term. The railways drive today in freight transport with an axle load of 22.5 t, The thresholds transfer this load on its underside on average to about 330 gravel points and from there from stone to stone down. This means that only approx. 12% of the threshold floor area is used as a footprint. These values apply to both horizontal and vertical load transfers. The cavity in the ballast is approximately 40%, which means that there is enough space to allow twisting or shifting of the individual ballast stones under dynamic loading.

In the past, different techniques have been developed to counteract this problem;

1. There were and are developed ballastless track systems, so-called "fixed carriageways". These can be a concrete substructure or a

Have asphalt base,

2. The gravel body is poured after the Hersteilung the finished stuffed track with a cementitious mixture and thus rigid.

3. The gravel body is treated after the preparation of the finished stuffed track with a liquid plastic and thereby adhered pointwise at the contact points stone to stone,

There are a number of previous proposals known in which it is attempted to change the properties of technical structures, for example, by effectively "holding together" the stones to improve stability.

From DD 86 201 and DE 24 48 978 Al, for example, a full or Teilverklebung all gravel stones of the ballast body is known. This causes drainage problems, since surface water can no longer penetrate the ballast body horizontally or vertically, which is unfavorable in particular in the case of two-track or multi-track sections and in particular in curve sections. Also from DE 20 63 727 the VollverkSebung all gravel stones of the ballast body is known, with an optionally schäumbareπ adhesive material. A machine with which this full bonding can be achieved is described in US Pat. Nos. 3,942,448 and DE-U-7319950.

From DE-A-23 05 536 a method for lifting tracks is known in which swelling material is introduced through the rails into the track body for the purpose of raising it.

Finally, it is known from EP-A-1 619 305 to provide drainage mats below a ballast bed foamed only in the load transfer areas of the ballast body. The advantage of this track superstructure construction is especially given in two- or multi-track routes. Surface water (eg rainwater), which accumulates in the near-surface area of the ballast between the sleepers and above the partial view, enters the area between two tracks, where it can flow out to the planum, since there is no foaming in this area from there via the drainage mat of the adjacent track, which rests below the gravel body of the adjacent track and on the planum to drain.

The object of the invention is to propose a method for introducing a flowable, foamable reaction mixture from above into a ballast body with embedded therein sleepers, with which the foaming of the ballast body within the load transfer areas of the thresholds, such. As shown in EP-A-I 619 305, reliably adjusts.

To solve this problem, the invention proposes a method for introducing a flowable, foamable Reaktioπsgemisches from above into a ballast body embedded in these thresholds, wherein in the process, the mixture is introduced laterally of the thresholds in the ballast body, in dependence on the Height of the ballast body at the application site in preferably an amount which is the greater, depending above, the application point is located in the ballast body, wherein the mixture is set such that the foaming process only begins when the front of the down flowing within the ballast body mixture has reached the bottom or the near-bottom portion of the ball body, so that the foam formation takes place within the ballast body from bottom to top.

The invention thus proposes to adjust the fSießfähige, foamable reaction mixture such that the foaming process takes place only after a certain time after introduction of the mixture into the ballast bed. Such foaming process delays are possible by choosing appropriate components and additives for the flowable, foamable reaction mixture. According to the invention, this results in foam formation within the ballast body from bottom to top, ie below the thresholds len. Since the introduction of the flowable, foamable reaction mixture takes place laterally of the thresholds, it can be achieved that the foaming also occurs only in parts of the ballast body, namely within the load transfer areas at an angle of approximately 60 °, starting from the thresholds.

Alternatively, it is possible to first remove the ballast between the sleepers and outside the load transfer areas of the ballast body and then introduce the flowable, foamable reaction mixture with the foaming process timing described above. Subsequently, gravel is then returned to the previously cleared areas, which serves for the UV protection of the near-top area of the foam.

For conditioning of the ballast bed, in particular as a preparation for carrying out the method according to the invention, it is expediently carried out in such a way that warm air is introduced into the ballast body from above, emerging from the side of the ballast body, the relative humidity of the outgoing air being determined and the process of heating the Gravel body is terminated when the average humidity is less than a predeterminable Schweüwert.

The removal of moisture from the ballast bed creates improved conditions for the subsequent foaming. The heat input into the ballast body can be controlled as a function of the exiting air humidity by determining the air humidity of the air emerging laterally from the ballast body at several points and forming an average value from these individual air humidity values, thereby ending the heating of the ballast body when the mean air humidity is less than a predefinable threshold.

With the method according to the invention for introducing a flowable, foamable reaction mixture from above into a ballast body with embedded sleepers, a method for creating a track superstructure for a rail track on a substrate inclined transversely to its extent can be realized, in which an elastic drum mat is applied to the substrate can be arranged on the drainage mat a ballast body of individual, between them cavities having gravel stones can be formed in the ballast body, the track (sleepers with rails) are embedded, and for fixing the position substantially only within load Abtra- areas of the ballast below the thresholds located

Ballast stones is introduced into the cavities between this invention a foamable material.

For the chemical reaction in the foaming, it is advantageous if the ballast body has been heated before the introduction of the foamable material or has an elevated temperature, which may be given depending on the ambient conditions without heating by an additional heat source. Furthermore, as also mentioned above, sleepers with a padding made of an elastic material, in particular plastic material, are embedded in the ballast body,

The step of partial foaming of the ballast body, with which it is provided with foam exclusively in the load transfer area, is suitably preceded by the known steps of plugging and / or first setting by setting the ballast body in vibration.

The main problem of the known ballast track - the twisting of the rock under dynamic load - is therefore inventively prevented by the fact that after completion of the new or renewed track this is foam with a foam material in the ballast body only in the Lastabtragungszo- nen.

This means that all voids between the ballast stones below the threshold and in the adjacent load transfer areas are closed by the foam of the ballast body to be introduced; the voids between the sleepers and outside the load transfer areas remain free and thus serve to drain surface water. The foam can be adjusted to be flexible. The introduction of the foam and its formation in the ballast body does not change the morphology of the ballast body.

The foam used is preferably a PU foam. PU foams have been known in industry and construction for decades. The adaptation to the respective application task is problem-free. The use in wet weather does not hurt, but promotes.

All ballast stones of the track within the load transfer areas are integrated with each other through the integrated foam Connected gravel structure. The mattness of the foam on the ballast stone and the density of the foam can be adjusted to the order of magnitude of the maximum load entry, plus a safety factor,

After the foam has hardened, all the forces introduced by the train can be transferred via this homogeneous structure, namely via the ballast stones and not via the foam, which serves for the storage stabilization of the ballast stones.

Since the foam consists of a large number of pores, it is also caused by the

Close the cavities no rigid ballast body. It rather creates a structure with an infinite number of "shock absorbers", This is additionally achieved noise insulation.

With the present invention, therefore, an alternative way to stabilize the ballast body without affecting its morphology and taking into account the Entwässerungsproblematik is taken.

With the invention, a track superstructure for a rail on a transverse to its extension inclined surface proposed, which is provided with a ballast body of individual ballast stones and embedded in the ballast sleepers to which rails are fastened, the ballast below the threshold Lastab - has tragungsbereiche that when driving on the rails on the

Swell vertically on the gravel body acting loads and transfer the ground below the ballast body.

In this track superstructure, essentially only the cavities between the gravel stones within the load transfer areas of the pebble body are known for fixing the position of the ballast stones in these areas with one

Schaummateriai, in particular a PU foam material, filled in between The gravel body and the ground can still be arranged an elastic drainage layer.

The essential idea is to be seen in that the ballast body provided only in part with a schäurnbaren material, within these areas, however, the voids between the ballast stones are substantially completely filled by this foamable material, but it is ensured that the track body morphology by the foaming remains unchanged from the state of the ballast body before the introduction of the foamable material. These areas of the ballast body are the load transfer areas below the sleepers, these load removal areas extending obliquely outwardly from the sleepers and below the sleepers. By virtue of this partial foaming of the ballast body according to the invention, the cavities between the ballast stones remain free within the zones of the ballast body located between the load transfer areas, so that surface water which impinges on the ballast body can flow downwards or within these zones laterally. Surface water reaching the gravel body at the side can also penetrate the ballast body horizontally.

Due to the partial foaming of the ballast, the gravel stones that are most "stressed" during crossings over the track remain permanently stable. Thus, they maintain their position after the stuffing process and after the (artificially) generated first set-up of the track superstructure, essentially via the Total operating time of the track superstructure. A replenishment, as is the case today with track ballast bodies, is thereby unnecessary.

A foam which can be used in the context of the invention is a rigid foam or a semi-rigid foam or an elastic foam, ie a foam which sets resistance to deformation (possibly not inconsiderable). The foam must have sufficient compressive strength. sen. The foam can be adjusted for pressure resistance, reaction times, reaction components, pot life. Suitable foam materials include polyurithane (PLJ), polyester (PES), polystyrene (PS) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foams. The foam can be closed or open-celled, open-celled foams have the advantage that they are acoustically effective, which is advantageous when used in track superstructure. The foam should be elastic, long-term stable, rot-proof, fire-resistant, resistant to pests and resistant to chemicals,

To create a drainage possibility below the track superstructure of the ballast body is arranged on an elastic drainage layer. Here you can use the well-known for drainage purposes Dratnage mats, such as those offered by the Rehau AG. Advantageous are porous rubber mats or mats made of a different elastomer material. In particular, elastomer granules are suitable, the particles of which are interconnected under the free space of cavities extending horizontally and vertically through the mat. For example, particles of tire reclicate are suitable for producing such elastic drainage mats. The elastic elastomer drainage mat can take high weights and contact forces, is long-term stable and rot-proof and has the other above properties, which are preferably for the foam,

Until now, drainage mats could not be used under ballast bodies, because they do not withstand the stresses that occur over time as a result of several stuffing processes. According to the invention, however, only a single stuffing process, namely in the construction of the track superstructure, is required. In this respect, a merit of the invention is also to be seen in the fact that it has been able to provide as a result of preventing subsequent Nachstopf- a drainage material under the track superstructure, through the drainage there is a controlled and directed discharge of water, the rinsing of the subsurface (subplan) effectively prevented. Furthermore, the material carries the drainage mat, as above This sang-time is stable and thus maintains its (horizontal) porosity even under high pressure loads.

To further fix the ballast stones within the load transfer areas, it is expedient to provide the sleepers on their undersides with an elastic material, in particular made of plastic (so-called threshold soling). Such soles with soles are found, for example, in EP-A-1 298 252. The ballast stones resting on the threshold penetrate into the elastic material of the sleeper reinforcement, which leads to a fixation by a kind of "entanglement".

The introduced PU foam improves the track body several times:

The subsurface beneath the ballast is protected from frost by the high insulation performance of the forming micro-air pores in the PU foam.

The subsoil under the gravel is protected from water.

The risk of track warping in horizontal and vertical direction is reduced because higher forces can be absorbed.

The lateral displacement resistance of a track is increased. - The dynamic load of the ground and the environment is reduced.

The calculation methods for the position safety of a track can be optimized, the ballast body acts sound-absorbing (reduction of the transmission of vibrations from the track body both over the ground and through the air, the drainage mat in addition to the shaft decoupling serves).

The specifications of the method or ballast body according to the invention are in particular as follows:

1. washed gravel

2nd tracks stuffed and taken off the track 3. Track ballast cross-section thermally pretreated - temperature specification

4. Hardening times and flexibility of the foam can be influenced

5. Absolute full foaming of the respective load transfer zones (approximately 60 ° angle) below the thresholds

6. Recyclability according to KrW- / AsfG

7. Fulfillment of shear strengths, tear resistance and spring stiffness of the foam as required.

The construction of the track structure according to the invention takes place as follows:

1. After completion of the subgrade formation and prior to application of the veriegeschotters of track is laid on the surfaces of PSS (formation protection layer) under the gravel footprint elastic Draϊnagematte (eg Secudrän ^® from Naue-fiber GmbH & Co KG). This ensures that the center drainage is permanently secured in two- or multi-track routes. For single-track routes this can be waived; drainage of the higher area due to the slope of the subgrade is achieved (also applies to multi-track routes),

2. The concrete or steel sleepers to be installed are preferably provided on the underside with a survey of a plastic material according to the prior art (eg EP-A-1 298 252), whereby the ballast stones are wedged and held in place during plugging in the joint of the plastic.

3. The built and stuffed with the tamping track is treated with a track stabilizer known design additionally. As a result, premisses are anticipated from the expected tensile load.

The track layout is now in a condition in which it can be removed. 4 The track is curved under the sleepers and in the adjacent areas of the pressure discharge in the ballast body. For this purpose, the ballast body is advantageously treated and cleaned beforehand (washed ballast stones).

The present invention does not assume that the loads are transferred or removed from the train operation via the foam. The built-in foam stabilizes the ballast skeleton and prevents the ballast core from escaping from the compacted gravel structure produced by the tamping machine Manufacture form obtained for a very long time in its acceptance quality. The durability of the (e.g., PU) foam or its composition plays a major role

The technical behavior of particle-supported constructions is basically unchanged when using (eg PU) foam. Only the properties of the technical strength and rigidity are considerably improved. In addition, PU foam also improves the dynamic characteristics which improve such properties as the degree of damping and the speed of the stress waves (eg compression wave, shear and surface wave).

When using a (e.g., PU) foam, it is desirable to ensure that the reinforced and stabilized substructure functions at an acceptable level during its life.

PU foam is preferably used in the correct spatial position and to the correct depth to ensure that the improvements in technical performance are achieved. In addition, PU foam is preferably chemically constructed to ensure that its desired properties for the particular application are considered, taking into account stiffness, strength, viscosity, fatigue limits, acoustic damping, temperature range, biochemical and hydroscopic properties, erosion properties. time and life are correct. For example, there are freely available foams on the market which can withstand a temperature range of -30 ° to + 80 ° C, are steam and water resistant, do not shrink or press and are resistant to faeces (this is not negligible since there are still many people - nen-Bahnwagen have open toilet systems and thus emptying feces on the gravel). In order to achieve the desired results and predictability, additional materials for the PU foam can be used to further extend the chemical properties. There are enough ready-mixed foams with corresponding properties to be selected according to the given situation.

The invention provides a stabilized ballast superstructure in a track track made by this method. Preferably, PU foam can be used to increase the vertical and / or longitudinal stability of the substructure (e.g., stiffness and strength). The system shall be carefully inspected to ensure that the stresses and forces remain dynamic, oscillating or static within the fatigue or stress limits of the PU foam reinforced superstructure with a given safety factor taking into account the desired life cycles. The addition of a PU foam positively alters the static and dynamic behavior of the particulate superstructure and thus also the overall and partial behavior of the substructure.

Gravel superstructures that are reinforced and stabilized by the treatment process described above can also be used to:

short-term stabilization of overstressed substructures until the final rehabilitation of the section (eg sludge production and "wet spots" in a railroad track), - vertical, lateral and longitudinal stabilization (in a railroad track eg of transition curves, large overhangs, eg to reduce the maintenance effort), stabilization of tunnel tracks, Reinforcing bridgework, including transitions before and after bridges to prevent load transients,

Reduction of web body stress due to increased PU foam stiffness and strength properties, - Prevention of induced plastic stress and curbing the separation of particles

(e.g., by splitting) by almost totally preventing movement of the particles,

Reducing the occurrence of soiled particles, a PU foam membrane (e.g., at points of contact of various contaminants);

I O terbaumaterialien) can be used according to the invention to the

To prevent the ingress of debris into the top gravel / ballast, in combination with the drainage mat to be provided to assist in the prevention of surface erosion of the surface and the subgrade

15,

Allowing an increase in applied loads and the speed of oscillating loads without a significant increase in the maintenance of the substructure and to reduce the damage caused to the substructure due to the applied loads,

20 - reducing the generation and transmission of environmental noise,

High performance cleaning (e.g., vacuum cleaner) of reinforced superstructure to maintain cleanliness (garbage, feces, leaves, branches, cigarettes, etc.) at reduced cost is possible, if desired, by having the ballast spaces between the sleepers with a different ma-

25 (UV resistant) are glued in one operation,

Improvement of the static and dynamic performance parameters of the superstructure and substructure.

The composition of the foam is selected based on the stiffness and strength properties required by composite 30. In particular, the tensile and shear strength properties of the foam are determined as part of the design process. In areas with poor geological formations, the foam properties (eg stiffness) are designed to ensure that an effective cushion-like foundation of stabilized crushed stone is established over the weak area. If the rigidity is high enough, a more uniform load distribution is achieved at the point of contact with the railway body.

For high maintenance turnouts, foam properties are selected to more effectively distribute the large vertical forces under the turnout while still maintaining good composite damping properties. A raising of the threshold by the introduction of the foam is largely excluded.

In the construction of new tracks, holes 20 may be provided in the sleepers 11 at various points in production so that the intumescent material can be injected directly into and completely stabilize the underlying ballast.

For height / lateral adjustability available in the construction of routes on the market - the state of the art appropriate - rail fasteners (known from the installation, for example, in "slab track") provide or install to be able to subsequently regulate any subsidence from the ground can ,

As can be seen from the descriptions and the accompanying drawings, the track body consists of expanded gravel and unfused gravel.

The foamed area is always below the threshold and in the load-bearing areas. This creates a conical foamed structure in the vicinity of the threshold, For example, the double-track route on straight stretches or in bends with the necessary track overshoots creates areas in which the accumulated precipitation water can not be removed in the usual way as in a completely open ballast body due to the selected economical foaming of the ballast body.

The chosen embodiment with the plastic drainage mat laid on the sub-plan takes this problem into account,

In all cases, the rainwater in the problem areas has access to the plastic drainage mats and is hereby ordered and discharged to the outside.

Due to the selected laying over the entire surface of the gravel, the water leaves no signs of erosion on the sub-surface and thus helps to protect the substructure of the track.

The invention further proposes that mineral fractions, such as, for example, rocks and, in particular, ballast stones, gravel, etc., which are combined with a preferably foamed polymer material, such as, for example, a PU-based foam, be prepared by the polymer-fixed mineral fractions are introduced into an oven, preferably rotary kilns, the polymer-fixed mineral fractions are heated in such a way that the polymer material is converted into the gas phase, the gas is subjected to exhaust gas purification, and the essentially freed of polymer material mineral fractions are removed from the kiln,

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in detail: 1 is a vertical cross-section through a track superstructure according to the invention for a single-track section,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the superstructure according to FIG. 1, FIG.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through a track superstructure according to the invention for a single-track section, and

4 shows a vertical cross-section through a track superstructure according to the invention for a double-track section,

The superstructure according to the invention is in a first embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 3 shown. The track superstructure is located on a sub-base 12, which is inclined as usual and may have a protective layer of asphalt or gravel. On the substrate 12 (Planum) is a drainage mat 14, on which a ballast body 16 of individual ballast stones 18 (in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates and in Fig, 3 shown in some detail). Embedded in the upper area of the ballast body 16 are wooden, concrete or steel sleepers 20, to which the rails 24 are fastened via attachment points which are in particular vertically adjustable (indicated at 22).

Starting from the sleepers 20, the load-transfer regions 26 within which the loads occurring when crossing the rails 24 are transferred to the ground 12 are defined in ballast bodies 16.

In the section according to FIG. 3, these load transfer regions 26 are trapezoidal. Within the end region of the ballast body 16 facing the substrate 12, the load transfer regions 26 merge into one another. In the plan view, the load transfer area 26 is as shown in FIG. 2. The areas between adjacent load transfer areas 26 are substantially V-shaped. Prior to commissioning of the track superstructure 10, the ballast body 16 is stuffed and caused to vibrate to effect an initial set,

According to the invention, the cavities between the ballast stones 18 within the load transfer regions 26 are now completely filled with foam, preferably with a PU foam 28, which is adjusted according to the requirements and loads. PU foams can be adjusted with respect to e.g. Pressure resistance, adhesion and foaming according to the requirements in each case set, which is generally well known and leads to an optimal for the respective case Anweπdungsfall foam material. The ballast stones 18 within the load transfer areas 26 are thus fixed in position; Below the thresholds 20 are located on the underside Besohiungen 30 of a (elastic) plastic material. The foam 28 may also be disposed laterally of the lower portions of the sills 20 so that they are embedded by ballast body regions provided with the foam 28.

As can be seen in particular with reference to FIG. 3, the areas 32 of the ballast body 16 between the load transfer areas 26 therefore remain free of foam in the superstructure 10 according to the invention, so that precipitation water can flow off transversely through the track superstructure 10. By introducing a slope along the indicated at 34 in Fig. 3 Beruhrungslinie two adjacent Lastabtragungsbereiche 26, which forms the bottom of a zone 32, this discharge is additionally supported, rainwater, which laterally of the track outside the load transfer areas 26 impinges on the ballast body 16 (in Fig. 1 indicated at 34) or laterally abuts the ballast body 16, flows through the drainage mat 14 below the track superstructure 10 from.

The advantage of a drainage mat 14 below a track superstructure becomes apparent, in particular, in the case of a two-track or multi-track route, as shown in FIG. 4. Insofar as the individual components of the track superstructure 10 'of FIG. 4 identical or equal to the individual components of the track superstructure 10 of FIGS. 1 to 3, they are indicated in Fig. 4 with the same reference numerals. Rainfall water which collects within the zones 34 of the right-hand part of the ballast body 16 flows to the center 38 of the ballast body 16, from where it flows through the left-hand part of the drainage mat 14, as shown in FIG. 4 tracks left flows.

For the introduction of the foam in the ballast bed is z. For example, the following device:

Railway tracks are conventionally laid in ballast beds on sleepers made of different materials. Since wood fumes can only be preserved with problematic substances, predominantly concrete or steel sleepers are used. The forces from the mass of the trains and the dynamic effects of the trains are transmitted from the rail over the threshold into the ballast. This load transfer takes place essentially in an area with an angle of 60 °. Due to the registered forces, in the viscous gravel area, the movement of the ballast stones is caused, which, similarly as with river gravel, leads to the abrasion of the edges and thus leads to a rounding of the gravel pieces,

In order to prevent these effects, the ballast body is fixed in the region of the load transfer with foam, predominantly polyurethane. The foam, encloses the gravel stucco formschlussig and forms a permanent connection with its surface. The foam is adjusted flexibly and does not change the morphology of the ballast bed. The static framework of the ballast is thus completely preserved. In the upper area of this foamy ballast body, the congested concrete or steel shaft or turnout structure with the foam is glued permanently. The achieved in wooden sleepers by the clawing of the ballast stones in the threshold underside effect of transferring horizontal forces in the ballast bed is thereby significantly improved and fixed. In addition to the fixation is achieved as a further effect, a significant reduction in the transmission of vibrations from the track body both over the ground and through the air.

For the removal of rainwater, which can accumulate between the tracks and the pronounced foam cones, a drainage mat of structured rubber recycle is introduced under the ballast body. The mat is made so that it dissipates the Nϊederschlagwasser horizontally under the ballast body. The mat is surrounded on both sides by a fleece, in particular geotextile, whereby a blockage of the pore volume of the mat is prevented in the long term. To simplify the installation, the geotextile is designed alternately overhanging at the longitudinal edges, so that the abutting edge is covered to the next respective mat, d. h., That the fleece on the top at one or two edges of the mat and the fleece on the bottom at one or two of the aforementioned edges opposite edges protrudes.

For the introduction of the foam into the ballast bed, the following device is preferably used:

In an existing, washed with a Reinigungsmaschiπe and provided a drainage track or newly prepared by default track bed (washed gravel, drainage track), the foam is introduced with a device which is applied to a rail vehicle, this device consists of the following sections:

ß Traction unit o Storage for one tank each for the components of the foam ^β Storage for fuel to heat and dry the track body o Heating and drying unit, compressed air supply ^β Foam applicator β Measuring and control unit with documentation - 21 -

AS's traction vehicle is a vehicle with the possibility of a stepping operation for the passage of <lm / sec used with the system can be offset with cm accuracy,

The storage warehouses are equipped with KTCs, which can be filled at the factory and placed on a crane and lifted off.

The heating and drying unit consists of one or more lowerable bells in which hot air is conveyed from a support burner in an air line by blowers. The bells are provided to the ballast body and the rail areas out with a sealing bead, so that as possible no hot air can escape upwards from the ballast bed but possible only laterally. This unit is placed threefold in succession in order to be able to set the necessary foaming parameters depending on the outside temperature and moisture of the ballast. With the help of built-in, fold-out elements, which are fastened to the heat units on the inside, the heat can also be routed separately to the rails in order to heat or cool them down to a specific working temperature. In this case, cooling units are activated in the air, which cool the rails with cold air to cool the rails. The heating can be done with mineral oil products, gas or with natural vegetable oils. The exhaust heat and the waste heat of the locomotive can also be used. The warm, moisture-saturated air exits the track or gravel body at the side of the threshold area. The condensation which occurs in the lateral area does not interfere, since it does not take place in the region of the load transfer which is the goal of the foam fixation. By measuring the humidity of the exiting air, the success of the treatment of the ballast is controlled and controlled.

In the heated and dried gravel the foam is applied. For this purpose, a device which consists of up to 8 discharge nozzles for each threshold side and serve several thresholds, for example, 10, simultaneously The foam dancing can be lowered individually or together on the ballast body by a propulsion device. The necessary lowering is calculated by determining the inclination of the track body by a process computer for each nozzle individually. Within the device, the nozzles are displaceable by lateral drives and are positioned by measuring devices directly adjacent to the threshold body. After lowering the lances to the calculated point, the foaming process controlled by the process computer is triggered and documented. Here, the calculated quantities of the components are pumped, mixed and pressed into the ballast body by pumps for each nozzle in the sampling head at the upper end of the nozzle. The computer recognizes the end point of the foaming process and shuts down the pumps or closes the valves at the mixing head , Immediately, the lance is blown free with compressed air,

The device is started up after this clock simultaneously with the heating bells. During the phase of moving the device, the air heating and blowers are switched off. The machine unit can then be moved to repeat the process on the subsequent segment,

The nozzles are interchangeably mounted on a part which receives the drive as a support for the vertical introduction into the ballast body. Then the mixing head is attached. The lower edge of the nozzle is chamfered, so that the nozzle can not rest on a ballast stone and thus creates a seal of the lower opening. The tip of the nozzle body either provides for the displacement of an unfavorable stone or for a sufficiently open surface to ensure unimpeded discharge of the Schaurnstoffkom- components.

The setting of the foam with regard to the start time for the foaming reaction and the reaction time takes place in such a way that a conical foam structure is formed in the ballast bed and thus the ballast body is fixed from the sole to the bottom edge of the web in the load transfer cone. The lances can be dispensed with by positioning or positioning outlet nozzles for the foamable reactive flowable mixture above the ballast bed. The nozzles are either stationary or transversely movable over the track body. The reactive mixture is adjusted such that the foaming process begins when the flowable mixture has reached the lowermost portion of the ballast body. Thus, the formation of the shame is quasi ascending from bottom to top. Depending on the height of the ballast bed at the positive of the nozzle, the rate at which the mixture is applied to the ballast bed is changed (the higher the ballast bed, the larger the amount delivered per unit time). Thus, the amount of mixture required in each case due to the height of the ballast bed is introduced over the entire width of the ballast bed below the track body. The introduction of the mixture takes place on both sides (ie, in extension of the rails in front of and behind the sleepers directly next to it), preferably at the same time for each threshold. Thus, the mixture passes according to its viscosity from both sides of the threshold below this, by it spreads conically in the ballast body down. As a result of the foaming process starting from the bottom, reactive mixtures are then passed from below to below the thresholds, as the advancing foam front pushes the mixture, which has not yet reacted, from below towards the threshold.

The nozzles for foam introduction are mounted on a device carrier at a position corresponding to the insertion position. This carrier can be controlled by hydraulic or electric servomotors both at right angles, d. H. across the track, as well as moving up and down. This ensures that all calculated positions for the reactive mixture can be properly handled.

A prerequisite for the system described herein for a ballast bed below tracks, points and crossings is a commonly made, removed track body of ballast, sill and rails with the following deviations: o Only washed crushed stone should be used without

Dust components o A drainage mat must be inserted between the ballast and the substructure. The mats should expediently be laid without defects, so that the outflow of water from the space between the tracks can be done completely sideways

After removal of the track body, the ballast is removed between the sleepers and outside the load transfer areas {and z. B. laterally). After foaming, the ballast is reinstalled after a waiting time of z, B. 24 h.

The introduction of the foam is carried out with a plant which performs the following steps:

* To bring about the optimized conditions for the foaming by drying and heating the built-in ballast, the cycle time of the heating depending on the gravel height d. H. of the ballast volume is controlled. The conditioning is carried out by Einbiasen of

Warm air in the gravel. Introducing the foamable, pourable reaction mixture, controlled according to ballast height, which is calculated by the process computer via the measured track inclination, so that the load transfer cone! is foamed under the sleepers and thus fixed.

* The dosed quantities are calculated, controlled, logged and documented for each application point so that defects can be determined immediately within the scope of an automatic quality assurance and thus excluded or improved. • The foam is made with automatic dosing and mixing equipment, so that a constant quality can be ensured. The components are thermostated in the pipes from the tank to the mixer. To world compatibility

The method of installation has no environmentally relevant influences. The components of the foam are transpor- ted in tested and approved containers (GGVS / GGVE / IMO), storage at the construction sites does not take place, transport takes place just in time.

The processing plant is controlled in such a way that both components can only be conveyed simultaneously and mixed out of the plant. So it can only leak a foam that is not classified as a hazardous substance and can develop no toxic effects. The Polymerisationsreaktioπ is completed after 20 sec. During this time, the system is not accessible.

The foam contains only a very small proportion of catalysts that are assigned to the amines and can be washed out with rainwater. These substances are readily biodegradable substances with an extremely short biological half-life. The results of the elution experiments are attached as an attachment. The tests show a significant decay of the eluate value in the TOC after just a short reaction time, which agrees with the expectations. The remaining substances of the foam are completely water-insoluble after polymerization, which has already occurred after about 20 seconds. A dissolution of parts of the foam in other solvents is not possible, so that after the elimination of the catalytic amines absolute environmental neutrality is achieved in compliance with the Eiπbaurogelungen.

In case of fire, it can be assumed that polyurethanes are self-extinguishing, which applies equally to the rubber track used as a drainage mat, which can be classified as a building material in B2. The gases and substances produced during combustion that can be discharged by extinguishing water are to be considered largely non-toxic. Certainly, scenarios are conceivable in which incomplete combustion contributes to chiometric oxygen supply, toxic gases such as Kohienmonoxid can arise in large quantities. However, this would not be attributable to the input materials but to a topographical situation that could then lead to negative effects and lethal effects on its own. 5

In order to reduce the braking loads in any case, the products are enriched in tunnels with a substance rich in nitrogen, so that they become practically non-flammable. For further investigations reference is made to the attached literature. ] Q

Jerk construction - recycling

In the case of the Rckbaus a route, regardless of the reason of the jerk, the foamed body can be removed and in a for this

15 processed processes are processed in a rotary kiln to clean gravel. The thermal decomposition of the polyurethane takes place here at temperatures <550 ° C, so that the ballast stones are not affected morphologically, so can be reinstalled without any further treatment,

20

The drainage paths are taken up and sent for material recycling. The result is the identical product.

Claims

A process for introducing a flowable, foamable reaction mixture from above into a ballast body with embedded therein sleepers, wherein in the method, the mixture is introduced laterally of the thresholds in the ballast body, wherein the mixture is set such that the Schaurnbü- dungsprozess only then begins when the front of the flowing downwards within the ballast body mixture has reached the bottom or the near-bottom area of the ballast body, so that the foaming occurs within the ballast body from bottom to top.

Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the ballast between the sleepers and outside the load transfer areas of the

Gravel body removed before introducing the mixture and after the foaming is applied as UV protection of the near-top region of the foam back onto the ballast between the thresholds.

, Method for conditioning a ballast body, in particular as a preparation for carrying out the method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the conditioning process in the ballast body from above warm air is introduced, the laterally emerges from the ballast body, wherein the relative humidity of the exiting air is determined and the process of heating the ballast body is terminated when the mean air humidity is less than a predefinable threshold,

, A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the humidity of the laterally emerging from the ballast body air is determined at several points and from these individual humidity values an average value is formed, and that the heating of the ballast Body is terminated when the average humidity is less than a predetermined threshold.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that 5 the mixture is introduced depending on the height of the ballast body at the application site in an amount which is greater, the further up the application site is in the ballast body ,

10 6- Procedure for the construction of a track superstructure for a railway track on a substrate inclined transversely to its extent, with an elastic drainage mat on the ground, if desired

(14) can be arranged, a ballast body (16) of individual, between them cavities on

15 pointing gravel pebbles (18) is formed, on the drainage mats (14), if they are present, in the ballast body (16) sleepers (20) are embedded, on the sleepers (20) rails (24) are attached , and for fixing the position of substantially only within load

20 Traguπgsbereichen (26) of the ballast body (16) below the

Swelling stones (18) located in the cavities between them a foamable material (28) is introduced, according to a method according to one of claims 1 to 4.

7. A method for creating a track superstructure according to claim 6, characterized in that the ballast stones (18) before the creation of the ballast body (16) and / or before the introduction of the foamable material (28) into the ballast body (16) washed become.

30 8, A method for creating a track superstructure according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the ballast body (16) is heated prior to the introduction of the foamable material (16).

9. A method for creating a track superstructure according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that in the ballast body (16) sleepers (20) with a Beshleung (30) of an elastic material, in particular plastic material, are embedded.

10. A method for the construction of a track superstructure according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the ballast body (16) stuffed prior to introduction of the foamable material (28) and / or set for initial set formation in vibration.

11. A process for the treatment of mineral fractions, such as. As rocks, especially ballast stones, gravel, etc., which are connected to a preferably foamed Poiymermateriai such as a PU-based foam with each other, wherein in the process, the polymer-fixed Mineraifraktionen in an oven, preferably

Rotary kilns are introduced, the polymer-fixed mineral fractions are heated so that the

PoSymermaterial is converted into the gas phase, - the gas is subjected to an exhaust gas purification, and the substantially freed from Poiymermateriai mineral fractions are removed from the oven.