Urban Rail Infrastructure

Dr. Vanhonacker Patrick, project coordinator, Dynamics, structures and systems international, Belgium

Dynamics, structures and systems international, Belgium
Trends engenharia e tecnologia, Brazil
Metro de Madrid, Spain
Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe, Germany
Die ingenieurwerkstatt gesellschaft für lifecycle-engineering mbh, Germany
Fritsch chiari & partner, Austria
Association of european railway industries, Belgium
International association of public transport, Belgium
Universiteit hasselt, Belgium
Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
Transport technologie consult karlsruhe gmbh, Germany
Ferrocarril metropolita de Barcelona, Spain
London bus services ltd., United Kingdom
Stellenbosch university, South Africa
Studiengesellschaft für unterirdische verkehrsanlagen e.v., Germany
Régie autonome des transports parisiens, France
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Autre porte technique global, inc., Philippines
Alfa products & technologies, Belgium
Consejeria de obras publicas y transportes, Spain
Institut national des sciences appliquées de lyon, France
Institut national de recherche sur les transports et leur sécurité, France
Tecnologia e investigacion ferroviaria, s.a., Spain
Institut für agrar- und stadtökologische projekte an der humboldt zu berlin, träger: a.s.p. e.v., Germany
Composite damping materials, Belgium
Bremen strassenbahn ag, Germany
Alstom transport, France
Société des transports intercommunaux de bruxelles, Belgium
Frateur de pourcq sa, Belgium

Tel: +32-16238988
Fax: +32-16238910
e-mail of the Project Coordination Team: a.vanleuven[AT]d2sint.com.

“Urban Track” was a EU funded research project which aimed at the development of innovative track products to fit in a harmonised European market. The products were being developed according to a ERRAC 2020 vision: low life cycle cost, high performance, modular, safe, low noise and vibration. The project started on 1 September 2006 and had a duration of 4 years.
The strategic aim was to support separate projects for light and heavy rail which consider the cost-effective introduction of new high performance track infrastructure products and techniques as positive drivers in modular and interoperable rail systems. The ambition was to develop and build an integrated family of “maintenance-free” modular track infrastructure solutions, which could be adapted to specific circumstances and have the benefit of standardised components. Based on real and verifiable figures of today's life cycle costs that comprise track construction/renewal costs, maintenance and monitoring expenditure, the target should lead to a substantial reduction in track infrastructure costs, with a significant increase of the availability of track infrastructure (for both heavy and light rail applications). This had to be demonstrated as a result of the implementation of the projects’ findings."
The project aimed at developing five innovative new products in the urban track sector:

   1. Prefabricated track modules
   2. Green LRT/tram tracks
   3. Embedded metro tracks
   4. Alternative low cost tracks for floating slab in tunnel and at grade
   5. Maintenance free interface between rail and street pavement for embedded tracks

as well as six innovative analysis methods:

   1. Innovative track installation methods (new tracks) [method 1]
   2. Automated track installation [method 2]
   3. Fast renewal and refurbishment methods (LRT/tram) [method 3]
   4. Cost/benefit analysis method for urban rail infra works (LRT/tram) [method 4]
   5. Preventive and predictive maintenance for metro tracks [method 5]
   6. Techniques for reducing wear in curves and turnouts (LRT/tram) [method 6]

and three innovative reference documents:

   1. Harmonised standard for 'Rail Transit Track Inspection and Maintenance' (metro) [standard 1]
   2. Harmonised LCC calculation method [standard 2]
   3. Harmonised functional performance specifications [standard 3]

The project aimed at a reduction of the LCC by at least 25% for new projects.

Separate projects for light and heavy rail, network operators/infra managers including the main European networks, research institutes, engineering companies and industry UNIFE and its industrial members. The targeted regions are Europe, Asia and South America.

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Newsletters, publications and presentations

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Project Cost: 18.59 million euro

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