Railway Infrastructure Fatigue Test Bench - Trackbox

Railway Infrastructure Fatigue Test Bench – Trackbox

The track is a complex set of elements whose behavior changes significantly over time. This is especially relevant in the case of ballasted tracks, which require more maintenance than slab tracks.

Knowing the long-term behavior of the track under different conditions, materials used, traffic levels, etc. helps to optimize the operating costs of the lines and of course to prevent possible incidents and accidents.

The Track Box – is a structural support system to test the complete track section together with the different layers that form the embankment for track on ballast or the components for track on concrete slab, all at full scale.

This system makes it possible to simulate the performance of the track against the forces experienced during operation.

The purpose of this bench is to simulate the real fatigue conditions (in 1:1 scale) to which the railway infrastructure is subjected in an accelerated way, being able to simulate, for example, 20 years of track use in a few weeks. The system has the possibility to simulate different types of track sections and different uses:

Conventional
High-speed lines
Subway
Freight
Mixed use

Consultation or budget requests

Product Description

This system allows performing a lifecycle simulation of rail section 1:1 scale in a short period of time, as well as the behaviour of the slab-ballast transition zones.

TrackBox

Structural support system for testing complete track section (rail + sleeper + fastening elements + ballast) at real scale. This system allows for simulating the performance of the track against vertical and lateral forces suffered during operation.
Load capacity: 6x300kN/6×20 kN
Testing space: 12x4m
The purpose of this bench is to simulate the real conditions of fatigue (in scale 1:1) to which the railway infrastructure is submitted. So the bench is dimensioned in order to accommodate different kind of track sections:

Traditional
High speed lines
Freight
Mixed use

TECHNICAL CHATACTERISTICS

6 Portal frames of 300 kN manufactured by mechanized metal profiles mounted on metal slab
Horizontal free light between columns of the ports: 4,000 mm
Maximum height of the drawer: 5,500
Distance between ports: 2,200 mm
Overall dimensions: 14000x5000x5470 mm
Double acting actuators – double rod including high cell rigidity-transducer pos.
6 Servo hydraulic cylinders 300kN capacity. 250 mm maximum travel.
6 Servo hydraulic cylinders 20kN capacity. 250 mm maximum travel.
High response and accuracy Servo valves
Load cells class 0.5 of low profile and high rigidity
Piston stroke measurement by internal inductive transducer (r = 0.001 mm)
Servo-controlled hydraulic power station including:
- Group Moto-pump of flow 500 l / min of flow and 250 kW of power
- Level, filter and temperature indicators
- Water-oil heat exchanger
- Open centre solenoid valve with 2 pressure outputs and 2 return inputs with quick plugs
- Tank of oil of 1500 litres of capacity
Filling cap and emptying key.
Hydraulic distribution posts with 4 pressure outputs, 4 return inlets and 4 drain inlets, commanded by electro valves.
Electrical panel of the installation commanded by PLC
MD5 control systems with 2 channels (force and stroke) of 5 kHz sampling frequency and control by channel
Wintest-dynpack data acquisition and control software, mounted on the latest generation DELL workstation that allows:
- Simultaneous and independent control of each of the actuators that make up the installation
- The performance of synchronized tests between all the actuators according to control philosophies in phase or phase shift depending on the type of test to be performed with real time graphical visualization of curves (F, t – F-S, S-t)
- The acquisition and processing of the data of the measurement channels of the system.