EP3560786B1

EP3560786B1 - Transport system

Info

Publication number: EP3560786B1
Application number: EP17883693.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Anatoli YUNITSKI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-12-23
Filing date: 2017-12-19
Publication date: 2022-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 2037-12-19
Also published as: CN110366514B; WO2018112594A1; EA031917B1; EP3560786A4; CN110366514A; EA201700049A1; EP3560786A1

Description

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the field of transport, in particular, to rail transport trestle and suspended systems with a string-type track structure. This invention can be efficiently utilized in the development of mono- and multi-rail high-speed roads for passenger and cargo traffic in conditions of cross-country terrain, mountains, desserts, as well as in metropolises and sea legs of transportation lines.

Background of Invention

A transport system is known for low-speed road legs (predominantly, on ferry vessels) [1], wherein the rail track has a form of double-layer head, positioned on a sole. The upper layer is made up by welding and brazing of metallic strips with alternate hardness, whereby the sections with higher hardness are positioned along the center line, with total width of such sections making up 1/3 of the head of rail' width.
The drawbacks of the said transport system consist in restrictions on smooth and soft vehicle movement, non-consistency in working properties of the contract surface of the head of rail, which doesn't allow to achieve high movement speeds.
Most closest as per technical substance and achieved results is the line transport system by Yunitski [2], which is taken as a prototype. It includes at least one vehicle, guided by wheels along on at least one rail, containing a body, a head in the form of unit-bunched strips, connected with a prestressed longitudinal member, mounted on the supports based on the ground foundation, whereby the strips in the unit are positioned on plates.
Such type of a transport system ensures high specific load-bearing capacity and low material consumption, thanks to which the required straightness of the track is attained, which in turn ensures high speed of movement.
The drawbacks of the said system include ununiform dynamic characteristics, inferior and unstable working parameters of the contact surface of the head of rail, caused by significant alterations of the homogeneity of the contents of the contact pattern along the rolling surface, including those caused by operational wear of the contact surface.
The task of achieving the following engineering purposes is the aim of this invention:

improving operational characteristics of rolling surface;
enhancing of motion parameters at acceleration/deceleration, ascending and descending;
expansion of functional capabilities of the transport system due to the increased ascending/descending gradients;
decreasing of acceleration/deceleration times;
lowering energy consumption costs;
improving qualities related to the smooth and soft vehicle movement;
increasing rail lateral rigidity;
improving physical and operational characteristics of the transport system, enhancement of structural rigidity and evenness of the rail track.

The required engineering purposes and the technical aims in accordance with the object of the invention are achieved by the transport system of claim 1. According to the invention, the said strips in the unit are connected with each other by coupling layers, the thickness of which B₂ , m, is determined via the ratio: $0,01 \leq B_{2} / B_{1} \leq 5,$
where: B₁, m, - the thickness of a strip, whereby the unit of strips is made with thickness B₀, m, and height A₀, m, determined by, respectively, the ratios as follows: $0,2 \leq B_{0} / A \leq 5;$
$0,2 \leq B_{0} / B \leq 0,9 5 and$
$0,05 \leq A_{0} / A \leq 0,9,$
where: A, m, - height of the body of rail;
B, m, - width of the body of rail.
The strips of the unit are pre-stretched up to force F₁, H, determined by the ratio: $0,01 \leq F_{1} / F_{0} \leq 0,95,$
where: F₀ , H, - prestressing force of the rail elements,
which includes tension capacity F₂, H, of the prestressed longitudinal member, tension capacity F₃ , H, of the body, and tension capacity F₁, H, of the strips in the unit of the head of rail.
Hereby, the longitudinal member may be mounted on separately positioned vertical supports.
In particular, the longitudinal member is mounted on the support in the form of a truss span structure, which, in turn, represents a beam, or a truss, or a trestle, or a cable-stayed system, or a combination thereof.
Optionally, the longitudinal member mounted on the support representing a truss span structure, is made with the constant height h, m, of its position relative to the body.
The longitudinal member can be placed inside the body with the possibility to alter the height h, m, of its position relative to the body.
In particular, within the section of the body in the span between the supports, alteration in height h, m, is in inverse relation to the distance of the corresponding section of the body to the nearest support, whereas, on the section of the body placed on the support, the longitudinal member is fixed on the upper part of the body at the height h_max, m, and on the section of the body placed in the center of the span, the longitudinal member is fixed on the lower part of the body at the height, correspondingly, - h_o, m.
As coupling layers, a hardening material based on polymer binders, composites and/or cement mixtures can be used.
Exterior sides of the strips in the unit and body surfaces adjacent thereto can advantageosuly define the rolling surface of the rail, whereby the coupling layers and the strips of the unit,
together with the body, are made as a common top face surface forming a common contact surface of the rail - the rolling surface.

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention is clarified through the drawings in Fig.1- Fig.5, which illustrate the following:

Fig.1 - the transport system according to the invention - a general view;
Fig.2 - a layout view of a cross section of the rail of the transport system according to the invention;
Fig.3 - a fragment of layout view of a cross section of the head of rail;
Fig.4 - a layout view of a cross section of the rail on the support;
Fig.5 - a layout view of a cross section of the rail in the middle of a span.

Detailed Description of Invention

The invention is presented in more detail in the following.
The transport system (Fig.1) comprises anchor supports 2 and intermediate supports 3 spaced apart along the track on ground foundation 1. At least one rail 4 with at least one wheel-guided vehicle 5 fixed on the supports.
Rail 4 (Fig.2) comprises a head 6, a body 4.1 with a face contact surface 4.A and a cavity 4.B for prestressed longitudinal member 7. The head 6 is made in the form of unit-bunched strips 6.1. and is connected by body 4.1 with a prestressed longitudinal member 7 via its cover 7.2, being in direct contact with the cavity 4.B of the body 4.1, filled with a hardening material 4.2.
At least one truss span structure 8, fixed above the foundation between the supports, forming spans, is located on the supports.
Depending on the parameters of the foundation, the place of installation and characteristics, anchor supports 2 and intermediate supports 3 may take various design appearance - in the form of towers, pillars with caps, steel and ferroconcrete columnar and frame buildings and constructions, equipped with passenger platforms and/or cargo terminals, other special-purpose constructs or truss structures. The structure of anchor supports 2 and intermediate supports 3 may vary according to the place of installation. In particular, the form of caps with anchoring devices for load-bearing members (not shown on fig.), installed at track turns, at linear track sections, in the mountains or at track ends, can be different. This is due to the fact that the mentioned devices determining the direction for the transition track section shall be smoothly connected with suspended track sections in spans between the supports. In addition, the shape of caps can be determined by the fact that they are the places for locating passenger loading and unloading stations and/or cargo terminals, hubs for the arrangement of junctions (turnout switches and turns) of the track structure. Supports 2 and 3 can be combined with buildings and construction facilities (not shown on fig.).
Vehicles 5 (passenger and/or cargo, and/or cargo-passenger), included in the transport system according to the invention, can be either wheeled on rail 4 of the transport system, as shown on (Fig.1), or suspended to the rail of the transport system from below (not shown on fig.).
The construction of truss span structures 8 (Fig.1) may vary depending the local terrain features, design objectives and engineering viability, whereby a truss span structure 8 (Fig.1) may represent a beam, or a truss, or a trestle, or cable-stayed system, or a combination thereof.
The rail 4 of the transport system, as shown on (Fig.1), is mounted on the supports 2 and 3 and/or the truss span structure 8.
Anchoring devices for rail 4 on anchor supports 2 and intermediate supports 3 or truss span structure 8, involve any known devices, similar to those used in hanging and cable-stayed bridges, cableways and pre-stressed reinforced concrete structures for fastening (anchoring) of stretched load-bearing members (reinforcement, ropes, high-tensile wires, etc.).
According to one of embodiments, the body 4.1 of rail 4 between intermediate supports 3 and/or 2 can be equipped with a strut-framed beam 9 (Fig.1) fixed thereon. This will ensure the presence of a preemptive bend in spans between intermediate supports 3 and/or 2 of the body 4.1 of rail 4 upwards, and, thereby, to relieve and reinforce the body of rail 4.
As a prestressed longitudinal member 7, cross-section of which is shown on Fig.2, one or several load-bearing elements 7.1 or as one or several standard twisted or untwisted steel cables, as well as cords, strands, strips, bands, tubes (for example, in the form of a twisted or untwisted steel cable or steel cord, or extended bunch of wire, as well as cords, strands, strips, bands, rebars, high tensile steel wire, tubes or other extended elements made of the known high-strength materials in any combination may be used. Moreover, as a prestressed longitudinal member, longitudinally oriented elements of transport system rail may be used - body 4.1, unit of strips 6.1 of the head 6 of rail 4 etc.
Load-bearing members 7.1 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7 are encased within the cover 7.2, in which the free space around the load-bearing members 7.1 is filled up with a hardening material 7.3. As the hardening material 7.3, compositions are used based on polymer binders, composites or cement mixtures, which rigidly bind the prestressed longitudinal member into one solid structural element.
The cover 7.2 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7 is positioned in the cavity 4.B (see Fig.2) of the body 4.1, with the possibility of a relative motion thereof along the height h, m, (see Fig.2) from value h_o, m, to value h_max, m, (Fig.4 and 5).
Relative motion, in the cavity 4.B of the body 4.1, of cover 7.2 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7 and body 4.1, with the subsequent rigid fixation of the chosen position, is done via any of the known traditional techniques after tensioning of the longitudinal member 7 and body 4.1, ensuring thereby the adjusted alignment of the rolling surface Z of the transport system.
The space of the cavity 4.B between the body 4.1 and cover 7.2 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7, to ensure the fixation of their relative disposition along the height h, _M, is filled up with the hardening material 4.2, as which any traditional materials can be used - polymers and composites, including: foam polymers, foamed concrete, ceramics, concrete etc. As a result, the body 4.1 and the prestressed longitudinal member 7 are rigidly bound as one complete whole.
Hereby, the concreting of the rail 4 of the transport system takes place, which guarantees the delivery and redistribution of high contact stresses from the wheels of vehicles 5 onto all prestressed longitudinal rail elements, which considerably increases the bending stiffness of the body 4.1 of rail 4.
The means of relative motion and fixation of the position of the body 4.1 and the cover 7.2 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7, may be any thereof, selected from the traditional ones. Thus, it is advisable to use a pressuring device in the form of a screw-nut pair (not shown on Figs.), where one of elements of the pair is rigidly connected with the body (for example, as in metalworking vise). Also, in particular cases, a resilient member (not shown on Figs.), for instance, in the form of a leaf / helical spring, rigidly connected with the body of the rail, can be used.
For secure fixation of the prestressed longitudinal member 7 relative to the body 4.1 of rail 4, it is expedient to equip the pressuring device with a support assembly (not shown on Figs.), which is in contact with the rigid cover 7.2 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7. Moreover, in particular embodiments of the present invention, the rail 4 can be equipped with crosstie cushions (not shown on Figs.), placed in the cavity 4.B of the body 4.1 between pressuring element and cover 7.2 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7. Their presence offsets the flaws of the contacting surfaces, reduces contact stresses and damps system vibrations, caused by various external loads (movement of vehicles, wind etc.).
Practical realization in the form of embodiment of the longitudinal member within the body with possibility to alter the height h, m, of its position relative to the body, is advantageous for freestanding pillars. An alternative embodiment of the longitudinal member without possibility to alter the height h, m, (with constant height h, m) in the body is advantageous for span structure supports, whereby the means of relative motion with fixation of the position of the body 4.1 and the cover 7.2 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7 are not present.
The strips 6.1 of the head 6 of unit are set in the body 4.1 on plates, as shown on Fig.2 and Fig.3.
Hereby, the exterior sides 6.3 of the strips 6.1 of unit and face contact surfaces 4.A of the body 4.1 adjacent thereto define the rolling surface Z of the rail 4.
Besides, the said strips 6.1 in the unit are connected with each other by coupling layers 6.2, for instance, in the form of hardening materials based on polymer binders, composites and/or cement mixtures.
The coupling layers 6.2 and strips 6.1 of the unit are placed within the body 4.1 in such a way that those form, together with the face contact surface 4.A of the body 4.1, with the help of their face surfaces 6.3
6.4, a single contact surface Z of rail 4 - the rolling surface.
The strips 6.1 of the unit of the head 6 of body 4.1 of rail 4 are longitudinally pre-stretched. Hereby, the strips 6.1 are fixed in that prestressed state with the use of coupling layers 6.2. As coupling layers 6.2, various modifications of hardening materials are used, which, together with the strips, form a one-piece head of rail with improved operational characteristics (including - with a higher heavy duty).
The mentioned construction of the head of body of rail provides the sufficient properties associated with smoothness and softness of vehicle motion, as well as consistency of operational characteristics of the contact surface Z of the head 6 of rail 4, which, in turn, allows to arrange for high-speed motion.
The hardening materials for filling up the cavity of body, spare area of the volume of the prestressed longitudinal member and the unit of strips of head 6, may be of same type and composition, or different type and/or different composition, depending on the design objectives and engineering viability.
The sizes of coupling layers 6.2 are chosen so that to preserve the inequality for the ratio of the thickness B₂, m, of the layer to the thickness of the strip B₁, _M, (see Fig.3): $0,01 \leq B_{2} / B_{1} \leq 5$
If the ratio (1) is less than 0,01, then the side surface of the strips 6.1 will have ununiform and inconsistent area of contact with the filling material, and, as a result, the unit of strips of head 6 will be insufficiently monolithic and durable.
If the ratio (1) is more than 5, then the unit of strips of head 6 will have inadequate hardness and rigidity of the rail contact surface.
Thanks to the fact that the coupling layers 6.2 the unit of strips of head 6 have the same thickness, the enhanced fabricability (reproducibility) of the process of forming of the head of rail is attained. Such embodiment represents a practical solution to implement at rectilinear and plateau sections of girders.
An alternative embodiment of the head 6 of rail 4, with any geometry of the coupling layers 6.2, is possible via realization of the unit of strips of head 6 of rail with the help of the coupling layers 6.2 with various thickness.
It is possible to have such an embodiment of the coupling layers 6.2 in the unit of strips, so that to have those arranged in order of increasing thickness closer to the sides of the unit. Such embodiment is technically expedient at ascending and in-run areas.
The coupling layers 6.2 in the unit of strips may be done with alternate thickness in such a way so that to have those arranged in order of decreasing thickness closer to the sides of the unit, which is a practical solution at descending and deceleration legs.
The dimensions of the thickness of unit of strips of head 6 of rail and the height of body 4.1 of rail 4 are chosen in such a way that inequality for the ratio of thickness B₀, m, of unit of strips to the height A, m, of the body of rail (see Fig.2) is valid: $0,2 \leq B_{0} / A \leq 5$
If the ratio (2) will be less than 0,2, then the rolling surface, formed by face surfaces 6.3 and 6.4 of the head 6 of rail 4 may experience a pressure higher than its elastic strength, which can cause a premature wear or excessive material consumption due to the exorbitant values of the height of body of rail.
If the ratio (2) will exceed 5, then the transport system will have inadequate rigidity, incl. torsional rigidity, when run along by a vehicle 5.
The thickness B₀, m, of the unit of strips of head 6 and width B, m, of body 4.1 of rail 4 should be within limits, defined by the ratio: $0,2 \leq B_{0} / B \leq 0,95$
If the ratio (3) is less than 0,2, then the face contact surface 4.A (see Fig.2) of body 4.1 of rail 4 will experience a pressure higher than elastic strength of the material of body, which can cause a premature wear and inhibition of motion safety, or an excessive material consumption due to the exorbitant values of the width of body of rail. This, in turn, will cause decreasing of torsional rigidity of the transport system.
If the ratio (3) is more than 0,95, then, due to the transverse loads exerted by wheels on rail, assurance factor drops and a premature wear of side surface of the body of rail takes place, which leads to a substantially shortened lifetime of the transport system.
The dimensions of height A₀, m, of the unit of strips of head 6 and height of body 4.1 of rail 4 are selected in such a way, that inequality for the ratio of height A₀, m, of unit of strips to height A, m, of body of rail (see Fig.2) is valid: $0,05 \leq A_{0} / A \leq 0,9$
If the ratio (4) is less than 0,05, then such transport system will have inadequate load-bearing capacity, rigidity and strength.
Considering the fact that the head of rail is constantly subjected to the impact of majority of unfavorable external factors, such as braking and accelerating forces from vehicles, cyclic loads, temperature oscillations, atmospheric actions and others alike, it is obviously technically expedient to increase resistance-to-rupture of this element of rail by redistributing its load-bearing functions on other structural members of rail.
Hence, if the ratio (4) will be less than 0,9, then such transport system will have a drastically declining time-dependent wear resistance and safety, or a heightened materials intensity and cost.
The embodiment of the transport system, wherein the value of the ratio (4) corresponds to the range of values specified therein, allows to optimize both technical parameters and equivalent operational characteristics of such system.
Prestressing force F₀, H, of all longitudinally oriented elements of rail, including tension capacity F₂, H, of the prestressed longitudinal member 7, tension capacity F₃ , H, of the body 4.1 and tension capacity F₁, H, of the strips of unit of head 6, is defined by the value, derived from the ratio: $0,01 \leq F_{1} / F_{0} \leq 0,95$
The specified limits of the ratio define the optimum range of tension forces of elements of the transport system, which ensures the required rigidity of rail 4, and, hence, its load-bearing capacity in spans between supports with minimum materials intensity of the structure.
If the ratio (5) is less than 0,01, then the efficiency of using the prestressed construction of head 6 of rail 4 is decreasing, which causes a reduced load-bearing capacity of transport system, a shorter distance between intermediate supports 3 and/or 2, as well as a lower torsional rigidity of rail 4.
If the ratio (5) is more than 0,95, then enhancement of operational characteristics will be attained via unjustified excessive material consumption, and, as a result, higher cost of the entire system.
According to any of the numerous possible embodiments of the coupling layers 6.4 and their use in formation of different hardening materials based on polymer binders, composites and/or cement mixtures, it is expedient to use, as coupling layers 6.4, a suspension of a hardening material with filler additives. Hereby, it is necessary to provide adequate concentrations of the hardening material and the filler, which will allow to avoid deterioration of strength properties of the unit of strips and operational characteristics of coupling layers 6.4.
The volume of filler additives is defined in such way, so that the ratio of volume of additives V₁, m³, to the volume V₀ , m³, of filler, is determined by the ratio: 0,05≤ $V_{1} / V_{0} \leq 0,98$
If the ratio (6) is less than 0,05, then the impact of filler additives on enhancing of operational characteristics of coupling layers 6.4 will be insignificant and inconsistent due to their inadequate concentration in the volume of layers.
If the ratio (6) is more than 0,98, then the deterioration of strength properties of strips in the unit due to the insufficient concentration of the hardening material in the volume of layers.
As a filler, antifriction materials can be used. In this case, the enhancement in efficiency of the transport system on legs of route will be achieved via decreased friction factor of contact surface Z, prevention of wear, lowering energy costs, more smooth and soft vehicle movement.
It is practicable as a filler to use friction materials. In this case, the efficiency of the transport system is significantly enhanced in the legs of accelerating / decelerating, as well as ascending / descending, which, in turn, ensures lowering accelerating / decelerating times, decreased energy costs, and more smooth and soft vehicle movement.
It is desirable to use composite materials as fillers. This will allow to substantially increase the range of strength-density ratio of the head of rail, as well as to increase its rigidity, wear resistance and endurance strength at cyclic loads, which render the most unfavorable impact on the head 6 of rail.
An embodiment of the prestressed longitudinal member 7 in the cavity 4.B of body 4.1 of rail 4 with possibility to alter the height h, m, of its position relative to body 4.1 within the range of values from h_o, m, to h_max, m, (see Fig.4 and 5), allows to adjust the height of position of the contact surface Z of rail in the spans between intermediate supports 3 and/or 2, guaranteeing its rectilinear trajectory along the entire transport system route.
Hereby, on the section of body located on support 3, where no bend of body of rail is observed, the longitudinal member is fixed in the upper part of body at the height, corresponding to the value h_max, m, (see Fig.4).
On the section of body located in the middle of span, where natural bending of rail 4 is maximum, the longitudinal member 7 is fixed in the lower part of the body 4.1 at the height, corresponding to the value h_o, m, (see Fig.5), ensuring thereby compensation of lateral bend of body of rail and linearity of rolling surface.
On the section of body, located in a span between supports 2 and/or 3, it is technically expedient to fixate the prestressed longitudinal member 7 in the body 4.1 of rail at the height h, m, which value is in inverse relation to the distance of the corresponding section of body from the nearest support 3 and/or 2. Thereby, the number of spots for fixation of the height h, m, of the location of the prestressed longitudinal member 7 relative to the body 4.1 of rail 4 is limited only by the size of the span.
On the section of body, located on a support, in the form of a span structure 8, it is expedient to alternatively position the prestressed longitudinal member 7 in the body 4.1 without altering the height h, m, of its location relative to the body 4.1 and, correspondingly, without the means for relative motion and fixation of the location of the body 4.1 and the cover 7.2 of the prestressed longitudinal member 7. This will allow to lower material consumption and streamline the assembly of the entire transport system.
The strut-framed beam 9 provides an additional reinforcement of body 4.1 of rail 4, which significantly increases the bearing capacity of rail 4 in spans, thanks to the anchoring by the strut-framed beam of a share of bending moment, appearing by gravity of rail 4, as well as due to the action of vehicle 5 on rail 4 and various atmospheric phenomena. Thereby, the rectilinear evenness of rail 4 in a span between two intermediate supports and a longer distance between intermediate supports are guaranteed.

Industrial Applicability

The construction of the claimed transport system comprises installation of anchor 2 and intermediate 3 supports on the foundation 1, truss span structures 8, on which at least one rail 4 is mounted and at least one vehicle 5 is wheel guided along this rail.
The mechanism of the transport system operates as follows.
At motion of vehicle 5 along the rail 4, under each wheel of the vehicle, an area of local deformation of contact surface Z of head 6 of body 4.1 of rail 4 over the contour area, is formed. This area, in the form of a stress-related wave, moves along with the wheel over the rolling surface Z of rail 4, formed by face surfaces 6.3 of strips 6.1 of unit of head 6, as well as face surfaces 4.A and 6.4, respectively, of the body 4.1 and coupling layers 6.2, binding them up together.
From the external surface to the internal surface of head 6 of rail 4, the area of deformation expands through the prestressed unit of strips 6.1, in which the strips 6.1 are connected by the hardening material of coupling layers 6.2, and, further on, through the prestressed body 4.1, over to the prestressed longitudinal member 7, concreted in its cover 7.2 and body 4.1 by the hardening materials 7.3 and 4.2, respectively.
Owing to such transformation of big local pressures from the wheel of a vehicle 5, the structural elements of rail 4 do not experience out-of-limit stresses and, hence, the load-bearing capacity of rail 4 of the transport system remains stationary.
The embodiment of the rolling surface (upper layer of contact surface) with alternate areas with different mechanical characteristics (hardness, ductility property, friction factor and elastic coefficient) and a varying balance thereof, both over thickness, and along the rail, allows to obtain a well-designed contact surface Z of head of rail with predefined operational characteristics for various sections of the transport system.
As a result, enhancement of operational characteristics of the rolling surface is done via prevention of flattening out of rail. Thanks to the optimization of friction factor on different sections of motion of vehicle 5, the following improvements are achieved: enhancing of motion parameters at acceleration/deceleration, in ascending and descending; expansion of functional capabilities of the transport system due to increased ascending/descending gradients; decreasing of acceleration/deceleration times; lowering energy consumption costs; improving qualities related to the smooth and soft vehicle movement.
The embodiment of the prestressed longitudinal member 7 in the cavity 4.B of body 4.1 of rail 4 with possible alteration of the height h, m, of its position relative to body 4.1, as well as equipping the body with a strut-framed beam 9 fixed thereon, allows to guarantee a preemptive bend of the body 4.1 upwards, in spans between intermediate supports 3 and/or 2 and, body 4.1 of rail 4. The value of that preemptive bend corresponds to the deformation of rail 4 by gravity of vehicle 5 up to the position of a straight line.
Thereby, the evenness of the track is achieved and assured till the vehicle passes on to the adjacent span, and the rectilinear trajectory along the entire transport system route, over the entire life operation of the transport system, is guaranteed.
This allows to considerably lower the material consumption and, accordingly, the cost of the transport system without compromising its speed performance, respectively. Hence, it is feasible to increase the spans between intermediate supports.
The transport system according to the invention permits to develop a transport system of a string-type structure with high bearing capacity and enhanced operational characteristics.

Information sources

1. Patent RU Nº 2022070 ,
E01B 5/08, E01B 25/22 Publ. 30.10.1994 (parallel patent).
2. Patent RU Nº 2080268 , MIIK B61B 5/02, B61B 13/00, E01B 25/22 Publ.27.05.1997 (prior art patent).

Claims

A transport system including:
- supports (2) to be based on a ground foundation,

- at least one rail (4), consisting of a body (4.1) having a cavity (4.B), a head (6) made in the form of unit-bunched strips (6.1), and a prestressed longitudinal member (7), said at least one rail (4) being mounted on said supports (2), and

- at least one wheeled vehicle (5) guided on said at least one rail (4),
wherein said prestressed longitudinal member (7) is placed in said cavity (4.B) of the body (4.1) of the rail (4), and is connected with the head (6),

whereby said strips (6.1) in the unit are positioned on plates of the body (4.1) of the rail (4),

characterized in that said strips (6.1) are interconnected by coupling layers (6.2), the width of which B₂ is determined by the ratio: $0,01 \leq B_{2} / B_{1} \leq 5,$
where: B₁ is the thickness of a strip (6.1),
whereby the unit of strips (6.1) has thickness B₀ , and height A₀ , determined by the following ratios, correspondingly: $0,2 \leq B_{0} / A \leq 5;$
$0,2 \leq B_{0} / B \leq 0,95 and$
$0,05 \leq A_{0} / A \leq 0,9,$
where: A, is the height of the body (4.1) of rail (4);
B is the width of the body (4.1) of the rail (4), and the strips (6.1) of the unit are pre-stretched up to force F₁ determined by the ratio: $0,01 \leq F_{1} / F_{0} \leq 0,95,$
where: F₀ is the prestressing force of the rail (4) elements, including tension capacity F₂ of the prestressed longitudinal member (7), tension capacity F₃ of the body (4.1) and tension capacity F₁ of the strips (6.1) in the unit of the head (6) of the rail (4).
The transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that the prestressed longitudinal member (7) is mounted on separately positioned vertical supports (2).
The transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that the prestressed longitudinal member (7) is mounted on the support (2) in the form of a truss span structure (8), consisting of a beam, or a truss, or a trestle, or cable-stayed system, or a combination thereof.
The transport system according to claim 3, characterized in that the prestressed longitudinal member (7), mounted on the support (2) representing a truss span structure (8), is made with a constant height h of its position relative to the rail body (4.1).
The transport system according to any of claims 1-3, characterized in that the prestressed longitudinal member (7) is placed inside the rail body (4.1) with the possibility to alter the height h of its position relative to the rail body (4.1).
The transport system according to claim 5, characterized in that within a section of the rail body (4.1) in a span between the supports (2), alteration in height h is in inverse relation to the distance of the corresponding section of the rail body (4.1) from the nearest support (2), whereas, on the section of the rail body (4.1) placed on the support (2), the longitudinal member (7) is fixed on the upper part of the rail body (4.1) at the height h_max and on the section of the rail body (4.1) placed in the center of the span, the longitudinal member (7) is fixed on the lower part of the rail body (4.1) at the height, correspondingly. of ho.
The transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that, as coupling layers (6.2), a hardening material based on polymer binders, composites and/or cement mixtures is used.
The transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that the exterior sides (6.3, 6.4) of strips (6.1) of unit and rail body surfaces (4.A) adjacent thereto define the rolling surface (Z) of the rail (4).