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