Review on Elastic Solution for Railway Super Structure

This paper describes the rising demands in railway operations over the last 30 years with high speed application and demands in respect to comfort and environmental conditions, especially in view of noise and vibration has led to the development of new types of superstructures. In order to manage the special problems that come with high speed, like high impact load or noise and vibration problems, maintenance problems and problems due to the request for more comfort in rolling stock or problems arising from environmental request for reducing noise and vibration in urban regions, one general solution has been identified during a long development process. The introduction of elasticity into railway super-structure defined and designed to a specific application. The historical superstructure: rail, stiff fastening system, sleeper and ballast is not able to fulfill the modern requirements and therefore a new type of superstructure was born - the elastic superstructure. Getzner, one of the first companies in the world to have been involved since the beginning of this development process has built up a significant competence in the area of elasticity of modern superstructure. Today Getzner possess a wide range of engineering experience and a complete program of products, i.e. specially designed and tested resilient components - references all over the world - for railway application, which enables us to fulfill every specification in respect of elasticity, maintenance, noise and vibration. To give a short overview about Getzner's competence in this field, three main applications show the existing possibilities to bring elasticity into track: (1) rail and base plate pads for rail fasteners; (2) sub ballast mats; (3) sleeper pads; and (4) elastic supports for slab track and ballast troughs/mass-spring systems.