FFU® synthetic wood

Railway sleeper Since 1980 over 2,300,000 synthetic wood sleepers fitted sustainably on 1,400 kilometres of railway track. Main areas of use are the highly stressed track sections such as switches and bridges.

Technology

FFU® synthetic wood railway sleepers

Continuous glass fibres and polyurethane are combined to a high quality and long lasting material.

FFU has the life expectancy of high quality plastic and the weight of natural wood and can be worked like natural wood.

Fiber Reinforced Foamed Urethane = FFU

Technical characteristics

In 2008 and 2013 Munich Technical University conducted examinations of the material properties of FFU synthetic wood. The FFU synthetic wood sleepers tested had to partly meet the requirements imposed on concrete sleepers.

The FFU synthetic wood sleepers met all the set requirements.

The reports by Munich Technical University turned out extremely positive for FFU in all areas.

Based on these favourable results, the German Federal Railway Authority granted Approvals in 2009 and 2013 to operational trials for the safe use of railway sleepers of FFU synthetic wood on Germany's railway infrastructure.

Processing

FFU synthetic wood has all the machining benefits of natural wood.

Railway bridges

FFU synthetic wood can be used on railway bridges technically and commercially just the same as conventional natural wood.

Installing FFU sleepers on railway bridges brings significant additional engineering design benefits in bridge construction and for the environment.

Switch systems

Operators, and their accountants, who are regularly faced with high costs and maintenance requirements for individual switches, appreciate the many benefits of FFU synthetic wood.

On top of this, FFU synthetic wood is dimensionally stable when manufactured in any length and thus offers many benefits when used in switches.

Flat sleepers

The German Federal Railway Authority (EBA) and the Swiss Federal Transportation Office granted approval in 2014 for the use of flat sleepers with a height of 12 cm on the respective railway networks.

Sleepers with a height of only 10 cm are favoured for use on urban infrastructure with low axle loads.

Special projects | Special profiles

At its initial trial back in 1980, bi-block sleepers of FFU synthetic wood were installed on a ballastless track segment in a tunnel.

Other applications include level crossings and long bridge sleepers.

References

FFU synthetic wood has been installed on more than 1,400 km of track worldwide since 1980 (as of 2015).

Its forecast service life of 50 years is getting ever closer to being confirmed in practice.

Approvals

FFU synthetic wood has been in use on many European railways since 2004.

Click on the link to find out more about approvals for individual countries.

Calmmoon Rail

Rail web noise shielding Noise reducing installations on over 80 km of German railway track since 2010. According to DB AG, maximum noise reduction also at high track decay rates.

Technology

Rail web noise shielding - wraps the rails with Calmmoon technology for the reduction of airborne noise energy and of vibration energy.  Two clip fastenings secure the shielding on the rail permanently.

Technical characteristics

Since 2009 Calmmoon's effectiveness has been measured in field trials in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium.

Click on the link to see results and details.

Installation & Operation

4 kg per linear metre of rail are quickly distributed by hand and installed safely. Track maintenance tasks such as ballast tamping and ballast sweeping on track systems that have been fitted with Calmmoon Rail can be carried out as usual without any restrictions.

References:

Calmmoon Rail has been installed in Europe since 2009.

Deutsche Bahn AG has been fitting Calmmoon Rail on its tracks since 2010 and by the end of 2014 had shielded over 80 km of track.

Approvals

Calmmoon Rail web shielding has been used on some European railways since 2009.

Click on the link to find out more about approvals for individual countries.

The day will come when man will have to fight noise as inexorably as cholera and the plague.

- Robert Koch (1843 - 1910),, German bacteriologist, 1905 Nobel Prize for Medicine

There is a time for everything.

- William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616),, English playwright

To achieve the possible, one must attempt the impossible again and again.

- Hermann Karl Hesse (1877 – 1962),, German writer, 1946 Nobel Prize for Literature

By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

- Confucius (551 -479 AD), , Chinese philosopher

I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.

- Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900),, Irish writer

Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.

- Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011),, US entrepreneur

Downloads

Select your download file for more in-depth information on FFU synthetic wood sleepers and Calmmoon Rail web noise shielding.

FFU® synthetic wood
Brochure, Work instructions,
Project brochures

Calmmoon Rail
Brochure, work instructions

Publications
on FFU synthetic wood and
Calmmoon Rail technology since 2008

FFU® technical examinations
of Munich Technical University and DEKRA in the Netherlands

Technical examinations on Calmmoon Rail
Test reports from Austria, Germany and Switzerland

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