2. SEKISUI Chemical Co., Ltd.
Since more than
60 years leading manufacturer
of synthetic products
Worldwide more than
200 subsidiaries
Approx. 20.000 employees
Annual Turnover
SEKISUI Chemical Co. Ltd.
[billions €]
7.628 8.041 8.603
2010 2011 2012
4. Continuous glass-fibre and Polyurethane
durability of plastics
light weight and workability like wood
Pultrusion process
FFU sleepers are manufactured by
Pultrusion.
Glass fibers are soaked in polyurethane
and the linkage is then hardened at a raised
temperature.
Fibre reinforced Foamed Urethane
Form
Polyurethane
Heat
FFU – sleeper
Compression
Continuous glass-fibre
5. Best Places at the Track
Bridges
Steel and Ballast
Switches
Slim tie
7. 1980 Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI) adopted FFU after laboratorial
approval in Japan and started the following field tests:
Miomotegawa Bridge of Uetsu Line
Kanmon Tunnel of Sanyo Line
1985 very good results of field tests
FFU sleeper became a approved standard product of JNR
1991 RTRI reported the results of 10 years field tests, which showed almost no
deterioration. Application of FFU by private and municipal railways.
1996 RTRI reported the results of 15 years field tests, which indicated that the strength
deterioration of 15 year old wooden sleepers will be equal to the strength
deterioration of 50 year old FFU sleepers.
2007 Japanese Industrial Standard JIS 1203
2011 RTRI tested FFU sleeper installed in 1980 positive – announced further use for the
next 20 years positive to JR
Historical development
8. Historical development
2004 Austria: First FFU Railway project in Europe, Metro bridge in Vienna
2005 Austria: ÖBB and Wiener Linien installed FFU on further projects
2008 Germany: 16 cm FFU sleeper positive tested by TU Munich
First switch on FFU in Germany – Chempark Leverkusen
Austria: LCC Analysis of TU Graz for ÖBB - FFU sleepers on open steel bridges,
FFU is more economical than wood if bridge life time is longer than 15
years
2009 Germany: Approval of FFU by EBA for German Railway Infrastructure
2010 Germany: Installation of FFU switch in Germany by Hamburger Hochbahn and MVV
Austria: Installation of FFU double slip on Vienna main station by ÖBB
2011 Germany: Deutsche Bahn – first Bridge with FFU sleepers on open steel bridge and
low height sleepers (12 cm) in ballasted track
2012 Germany: Deutsche Bahn – two switches 70,000 t/day & sleepers & bridges
Netherland: Pro Rail installed 3 bridges
2013 Austria: Wiener Linien installed 78 switches with FFU
Germany: 12 cm slim tie positive tested by TU Munich
for 22,5 t axel load and 200 km/h
2014 Switzerland: approval for FFU sleepers starting by 12 cm height and for
tunnels where wooden sleepers are used given by BAV
RHB will install first bridge plus slim ties 12 cm
BLS will install 2 switches and 1 bridge
England: Network Rail will install longitudinal (40/40cm) and regular bridge
sleepers
World: ISO Standard 12856-1 for synthetic sleepers enters into force
9. Worldwide approximately 90.000 FFU Synthetic
Sleepers are installed annually
Accumulated installation amount until 2013 has become more than
2,1 million sleepers
1.300 km of track
Historical development
10. Technical properties
property unit
beech FFU synthetic wood
standard
new old 10 years 15 years
density [kg/m3] 750 740 740 740 JIS Z 2101
flexural strength [kN/cm2] 8 14,2 12,5 13,1 JIS Z 2101
elastic modulus [kN/cm2] 710 810 800 816 JIS Z 2101
Compressive strength [kN/cm2] 4,0 5,8 6,6 6,3 JIS Z 2101
Shear strength [kN/cm2] 1,2 1,0 0,95 0,96 JIS Z 2101
hardness [kN/cm2] 1,7 2,8 2,5 2,7 JIS Z 2101
Impact flexural strength
+ 20°C [J/cm2] 20 41 - - JIS Z 2101
- 20°C [J/cm2] 8 41 - - JIS Z 2101
Water absorption [mg/cm2] 137 3,3 - - JIS Z 2101
Insulation resistance
dry [Ω] 6,6x107 1,6x1013 2,1x1012 3,6x1012 JIS K 6852
wet [Ω] 5,9x104 1,4x108 5,9x1010 1,9x109 JIS K 6852
Pull-out force dog nail [kN] 25 28 28 23 RTRI
Pull-out force screw [kN] 43 65 - - RTRI
11. EBA (German Railway Authority),
following research was conducted:
• Sleeper behavior under the impact of vertical and horizontal
loads during the effect of repeated loading. Bedding in ballast
track according DIN-EN 13481-3 (wooden sleeper)
• Tightening torque tests: determine tensile strength of sleeper
screws depending on torque moment.
• Sleeper screw extraction tests in accordance with DIN EN
13481-2. (concrete sleeper)
• Impact tests to simulate derailment in accordance with German
railways technical terms of delivery
• Electrical resistance in accordance with DIN EN 13146-5
• Static and dynamic tests of sleepers according to DIN EN
13230-2.(concrete sleeper)
Effect of repeated loading
test
TU Munich September 2008
Elastic Rail Head Deflection Constant Rail Head Deflection
right support left support right support left support
2.12 mm 1.71 mm 0.42 mm 0.29 mm
After 3 million load cycles
12. Extraction Testing
Average extraction force in FFU is 61 kN.
Previous extraction tests on sleeper screws on wooden
sleepers showed extraction forces of approx. 35 kN.
[see Research Report no. 1687, dated June 30.,1997].
Impact Tests
A tup (5 kN) with a wheel-flange shaped blade is dropped
twice per test from a height of 75 cm onto the impact area.
The sleeper is positioned at a slope of 30°. During testing,
the sleeper is placed on a 6mm pad.
Electrical Resistance
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3
Date 10.07.2008 11.07.2008 12.07.2008
Ry [kΩ] 38.9 63.8 57.7
Y [mS/m] 44.4 45.3 44.6
Ky 1.332 1.359 1.338
R33 [kΩ] 51.8 86.7 77.2
Mean value R33 [kΩ] 71,9
Hence, it can be assumed that the required minimum
resistance value of R33 ≥ 5 kΩ in accordance with DIN EN
13481-5 was achieved with great certainty.
TU Munich September 2008
13. Static Tests at Sleeper Centre
Bearing distance was 1.5 m, load plate width was 100 mm. The
initial test force was set at 20 kN. Subsequently, the load was
gradually increased by 5 kN, while sleeper deflection was
registered by four dial indicator gauges.
Up to a load of 240 kN, corresponding to a tensile bending
strength of 74 N/mm² on the bottom of the sleeper, no crack was
detected within the bending area where flexural tension was
applied.
TU Munich September 2008
14. Static Pressure Test
Up to a load of 150 kN no plastic deformation was
detected
Thus, a load of 300 kN (supporting force) below
the rib plate shows a plastic deformation of a
maximum of 0.8 mm. Generally the support force
for an axle load of 250 kN is 150 kN under the
most severe conditions.
Static Bending at T = RT and T = -
10°C
FFU sleepers were stored in a climate-controlled environment at
T=-20°C for two days. The average testing temperature is T = -
10°C . The sleeper shows no signs of embrittlement at low
temperatures. A comparison of deformation results does not show
any significant differences.
Test of temperature dependency of sleeper deformation behavior
showed no significant bending differences at T=RT and T=10°C.
At T= -10°C there is no noticeable brittleness due to temperature
variation. Deformation is predominately purely elastic.
TU Munich September 2008
15. Fatigue test on rail seat height 120
mm
A load of 150 kN was selected for the fatigue test. This
corresponds to an axle load of 250 kN and a train speed V <
200 km/h. A static load of 1.2 x 150 kN = 180 kN was applied
before the fatigue test. After the fatigue test the static load was
increased to 2 x 150 kN = 300 kN.
No damage to the sleeper could be established during the
fatigue test. The ribbed plate was subsequently removed.
Plastic deformations of approximately 0.85 mm.
Extraction tests on FFU height 120
mm
The tests were conducted in line with EN 13481-2 attachment A
on 12 sleeper screws Ss 8-140 and synthetic wood sleepers
with a height of 120 mm.
TU Munich September 2013
Sleeper screw Ss-8 – diameter 24 mm
Hole diameter / drill tool Mean value [kN]
19 mm / steel drill 56.8
20 mm / steel drill 52.7
20 mm / wood drill 49.6
Slim tie with a height of 100 and 120 mm
16. Static tests in centre of sleeper
(sleeper heights 100 mm and 120
mm)
The support spacing was 1.5 m and load plate width was 100
mm. The initial test load was set to 10 kN. Subsequently the
load was increased in increments of 10 kN, with sleeper
bending registered on four dial gauges.
Diagram below shows the values of sleeper bending up to a
load of 70 kN, corresponding to a torque of 24.5 kNm
TU Munich September 2013
Slim tie with a height of 100 and 120 mm
20. Easy repair
For example: Fastening position may be readjusted by filling nail holes
Many possible solutions with FFU
①Removal of rail
②Filling of nail holes with the special
filling resin or the plugs
③Tying of rail
21. Projects in Japan since 1985
Bridges – open steel constructions – concrete
22. Projects in Japan since 1985
Switches – ballasted track - slab track
37. Experienced Advantages
Customized sleepers mm exactly optimizing of design & profile
Form retentive always good bearing on construction
Easy & fast installation minimizes: installation costs / track closing time
Easy care/repair minimizes: installation time/sleeper amount
Chemical/oil resistance application in special areas
Ecological 100% recyclable
Maintenance very little; minimizes maintenance costs/time
High availability of track maximizing possible trains on the track
Workability/weight like wood, 740 kg/m3
Long life time reduces total cost of track and
saves money for further project investments
![SEKISUI Chemical Co., Ltd.
Since more than
60 years leading manufacturer
of synthetic products
Worldwide more than
200 subsidiaries
Approx. 20.000 employees
Annual Turnover
SEKISUI Chemical Co. Ltd.
[billions €]
7.628 8.041 8.603
2010 2011 2012](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)