DEVELOPMENT, TESTING, AND SERVICE PERFORMANCE OF RECYCLED-PLASTIC COMPOSITE RAILROAD TIES

摘要

Due to its abundance and available structural properties, wood has been used for crossties sincernthe dawn of the railroad in the United States. However, wood is typically pressure treated withrncreosote to combat decay, rot, and insect attack. While such treatments may help controlrndegradation, the toxicity and potential release of chemicals to the environment is drawing everincreasingrnconcerns. Since the first installation of recycled-plastic ties in the early 1990s, severalrnmanufacturers have entered the market with a variety of plastic composite material designs thatrndo not require any chemical treatments. These new plastic composite ties include, but are notrnlimited to, fiber-reinforced plastics of different compositions; mineral-filled plasticrncompositions; and hybrid steel, concrete, and plastic composites. Tens of thousands of plasticrncomposite ties have now been successfully installed in track, ranging from mass transit to Class 1rnapplications. This paper reviews the development, testing, and in-service performance of thesernnew-generation composite ties as well as the development of recommended practices in Chapterrn30 of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA)rnManual for Railway Engineering. This paper will also describe current efforts to developrnengineering criteria for engineered composite ties for open-deck bridges.