D0109 CDM M24 - URBANTRACK.EU - URBAN TRACK · PARTNERS Société des Transports Intercommunaux de...

TIP5-CT-2006-031312 of 22URBAN TRACK Issued: 26/8/2008

Quality checked and approved by project co-ordinator André Van Leuven

D0109_CDM_M24.doc

DELIVERABLE D1.9

Related Milestone M1.7

CONTRACT N° TIP5-CT-2006-031312

PROJECT N° FP6-31312

ACRONYM URBAN TRACK

TITLE Urban Rail Transport

PROJECT START DATE September 1, 2006

DURATION 48 months

Subproject SP 1 Design of modular low cost new Integrated track system

Work Package WP 1.3.1 Installation of modular track systems

Rapid installation methods for modular track systems

Written by Anneleen Bergiers CDM

Date of issue of this report 26/08/2008

PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR Dynamics, Structures & Systems International D2S BE

PARTNERS Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles STIB BE

Alstom Transport Systems ALSTOM FR

Bremen Strassenbahn AG BSAG DE

Composite Damping Materials CDM BE

Die Ingenieurswerkstatt DI DE

Institut für Agrar- und Stadtökologische Projekte ander Humboldt

ASP DE

Tecnologia e Investigacion Ferriaria INECO-TIFSA ES

Institut National de Recherche sur les Transports &leur Sécurité

INRETS FR

Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon INSA-CNRS FR

Ferrocarriles Andaluces FA-DGT ES

Alfa Products & Technologies APT BE

Autre Porte Technique Global GLOBAL PH

Politecnico di Milano POLIMI IT

Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens RATP FR

Studiengesellschaft für Unterirdische Verkehrsanlagen STUVA DE

Stellenbosch University SU ZA

Transport for London LONDONTRAMS

UK

Ferrocarril Metropolita de Barcelona TMB ES

Transport Technology Consult Karlsruhe TTK DE

Université Catholique de Louvain UCL BE

Universiteit Hasselt UHASSELT BE

Project funded by theEuropean Community undertheSIXTH FRAMEWORKPROGRAMMEPRIORITY 6Sustainable development,global change & ecosystems International Association of Public Transport UITP BE

Union of European Railway Industries UNIFE BE

Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe VBK DE

Fritsch Chiari & Partner FCP AT

Metro de Madrid MDM ES



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T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

0. Executive summary...................................................................................................................... 3

0.1. Objective of the deliverable.................................................................................................. 3

0.2. Strategy used and/or a description of the methods (techniques) used with the

justification thereof ............................................................................................................... 3

0.3. Background info available and the innovative elements which were developed ........... 3

0.4. Problems encountered.......................................................................................................... 3

0.5. Partners involved and their contribution ........................................................................... 4

0.6. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 4

0.7. Relation with the other deliverables (input/output/timing)............................................ 4

1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 5

1.1. General context ..................................................................................................................... 5

1.2. The Re-Modulix concept ...................................................................................................... 6

1.3. Design of Re-Modulix .......................................................................................................... 7

1.4. Re-Modulix installation sequences...................................................................................... 7

1.5. Removal and/or replacement of the modules ................................................................. 11

2. Testing......................................................................................................................................... 13

2.1. Integration into the STUVA test circuit............................................................................. 13

2.2. Small Removability Test..................................................................................................... 16

2.3. Big Removability Test......................................................................................................... 19

2.4. Surface finishing ................................................................................................................. 20

3. Life cycle cost.............................................................................................................................. 21



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0. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

0.1. OBJECTIVE OF THE DELIVERABLE

This document describes the development of a prefabricated, modular and reusable track

system to be installed in Karlsruhe.

The system is designed to follow demands to reduce the nuisance to the users and services of

the urban environment and to lower Life Cycle Cost. It also has to resist actual rolling stock axle

loads and traffic loads. This prefabricated slab track technique allows the track to be installed in

critical areas within a short intervention period and thus limit the nuisance for users,

neighbours etc. Furthermore stiff road surface finishing directly integrated in the slab offers the

optimal solution with respect to Life Cycle Cost control (reduced maintenance). The new

feature of this development is the possibility to remove the prefabricated track after some years

of operation and to reuse it again somewhere else.

0.2. STRATEGY USED AND/OR A DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODS (TECHNIQUES) USED

WITH THE JUSTIFICATION THEREOF

The system called Re-Modulix will be based on the Modulix-system of CDM, which consists of

prefabricated reinforced concrete modules with integrated road finishing. Modification of the

foundation layers and composition are adopted to make it removable. The installation

procedure is also adapted.

0.3. BACKGROUND INFO AVAILABLE AND THE INNOVATIVE ELEMENTS WHICH WERE

DEVELOPED

Background info available:

Specifications provided by VBK.

Specifications of the Modulix system of CDM.

Innovative element: removability and reuse.

0.4. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

The test site is located within the Kaiserstrasse of Karlsruhe. Most of the street is characterised

by a typical pedestrian precinct with a double track in the middle an numerous installations like

street lamps, benches, showcases and trees at both sides of the street. Cause of the numerous

shops and the necessity to keep them open during the installation and the already mentioned

installations, space for the preparation of site facilities and the work site itself is very short in

spite of an average cross-section of about 23 m. Therefore, a special installation sequence and

module design was conceived by CDM. However due to a decision of the executive board of

VBK, based on an internal risk analysis, the location of the test track has changed to the

Kaiserstrasse in front of the University which postpones the installation into summer 2009



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instead of summer 2008. This new track section is outside the pedestrian precinct with a typical

urban cross section. Segregated tracks are lying in the middle flanked by a car lane, parallel

parking and pavements. This street section of Kaiserstraße allows to use larger modules and

limits former difficulties. Because of this decision, further changes are possible to the design

described in this document. The prolongation of a year caused also a postponement of tests to

perform. The design will without doubt still be refined during the following year.

0.5. PARTNERS INVOLVED AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION

CDM, VBK, TTK, STUVA, UCL

0.6. CONCLUSIONS

A prefabricated modular and removable embedded track system is developed for the needs of

Karlsruhe city. Installation and removal procedures are specified.

0.7. RELATION WITH THE OTHER DELIVERABLES (INPUT/OUTPUT/TIMING)

This deliverable is linked to SP3 dealing with the Re-Modulix installation and validation in

Karlsruhe and also has relations with SP4 and SP5.

The installation in Karlsruhe has to be done according to a narrow time schedule and is

postponed to summer 2009.



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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. GENERAL CONTEXT

Karlsruhe has a 70km tram and light-rail network carrying

108 million passengers per year. The section located in

Kaiserstrasse is the most critical section:

Located within the pedestrian area of Karlsruhe

Five tramlines and three light rail lines are running on

this track in a ten minute frequency from 06:00 o’clock

in the morning until 08:00 o’clock in the evening.

During the off peak time there is still a 20 minutes

frequency.

As there are no alternative tracks, the maintenance is a

very sensitive operation (problems in the past).

Furthermore, City of Karlsruhe is planning a light rail

tunnel under this pedestrian district (best-case scenario is

assuming an inauguration not before 2015).

On one hand, there is an urgent need to renew the tracks

in the pedestrian area; on the other hand, the same tracks

will disappear when the light rail tunnel will start

operating in 2015.

VBK would like to solve this problem by using removable prefabricated tracks. In general, the Re-

Modulix system aims to give an answer to the following major practical concerns:

fast temporary track installation with possibility to reuse system components in other

locations within the network.

easy renovation of entire multimodal track elements (track and road surface).



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1.2. THE RE-MODULIX CONCEPT

Based on a modular prefabricated track-system and a catalogue of requirements from VBK the

design for a Re-Modulix system was developed.

The Re-Modulix system will be an embedded track system (ERS) delivered as a prefabricated

concrete slab with final road covering (pavement) included. It allows the tracks to be installed

in strategic critical points of a network in very short time period (e.g. crossings, access to

strategic sites, by hospitals, …). The slab includes all possible elements such as drainage

elements, electrical boxes, etc.

Figure 1

Examples of classical prefabricated track module installation with final road covering included



D0109_CDM_M24.doc

1.3. DESIGN OF RE-MODULIX

The Re-Modulix concept is based on a prefabricated modular track system (Modulix) with

adapted foundation layers. The removability is ensured by adding two PE-films:

one between the prefabricated module itself and the lean concrete to prevent any cohesion

between the slab and the foundation;

one under the lean concrete layer to allow the removal of the supporting beams and fixation

concrete layer when the module has been removed.

Figure 2

Cross-section of the Re-Modulix concept

1.4. RE-MODULIX INSTALLATION SEQUENCES

The system consists of modules with a length of 16,5m and intermediary pieces to place

between 2 modules. In the Modulix system those modules have the same width and both tracks

are installed at the same time. However in Karlsruhe a change was needed.

KaiserStrasse has a width of 5,870m. The sidewalk can not be used for the installation because

of many obstructions like benches, lampposts, garbage-cans, … Transport trucks must be able

to drive to the unloading-point and a truck needs 2,5m width to drive on.

Therefore the installation will be done in 2 phases. In the first phase the track of side 1 is

demolished (Figure 3). The old track at the other side is used to drive on. After the installation of

the modules of side 1, side 2 is demolished during the second phase. The new track at side 1 is

used to drive on. The modules of the first phase will be wider then the modules of the second

phase (Figure 4). This allows trucks to drive on the wider modules during installation.



D0109_CDM_M24.doc

Figure 3

Cross-section of the KaiserStrasse phase 1: one side of the old track is used to drive on; the other side is

demolished and installed

Figure 4

Cross-section of the KaiserStrasse with installed modules of 2 widths

The installation of phase 1 (Figure 5) begins by demolishing the old track and preparing the

platform surface, i.e. a clean lean concrete layer with a PE-film covering it. The supporting

beams (provided with the modules) are then placed on the lean concrete layer to support the

different modules. The position of those beams is determined by the surveyor (based on

drawings).

The pieces of the welding zone are placed between the beams. After this the modules are

installed on the beams. The rails are welded and the welding zones are completed.

Subsequently the pieces of the welding zone are lifted and positioned using steel supporting

beams. The concrete of the first phase is poured. The steel supporting beams are removed once

the concrete curing is completed.

In phase 2 (Figure 6) all these steps are repeated at the other side of the street. Finally the concrete

of phase 2 is poured and the intermediary pieces between the modules are placed in the fresh

concrete using steel support beams.



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Figure 5

Re-Modulix concept – Installation sequence



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Figure 6:

Re-Modulix concept – Installation sequence



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1.5. REMOVAL AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULES

To remove the modules, the jackets (elastic encapsulation) and rail are cut in the intermediary

zone i.e. original welding area (Figure 7, phase 2). The intermediary modules between the two

tracks as well as the main modules are then removed using the available anchors in the slabs.

These anchors have to withstand the weight of the modules and the force needed to pull the

modules out. To estimate this force tests are performed (see 3.2.)

Figure 7

Re-Modulix concept: removal and replacement of modules

This phase is followed by the removal of the intermediary slabs of the welding zone (Figure 8,

phase 4) and the cleaning of the fixation concrete surface poured around the supporting beams

(Figure 8, phase 5).

Again, this removal should be done in 2 phases because of limited space (first one side, then

other side).



D0109_CDM_M24.doc

Figure 8

Re-Modulix concept: removal and re-use of modules



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2. TESTING

2.1. INTEGRATION INTO THE STUVA TEST CIRCUIT

The Re-Modulix system is based on an embedded rail system where the rail is completely put in

an elastic encapsulation (rubber-jacket) and embedded in a concrete slab, ensuring fastening in

all directions and completely decoupling the rail from the environment (electrical and vibration

protection).

The slab and the jacket are designed to take over specified rolling stock axle loads. They also

need to resist to road traffic (e.g. heavy truck loads, traffic at grade crossing). The behaviour of

the Re-Modulix system and its elastic encapsulation is tested on the STUVA test circuit (using

test samples of slab with rail and elastic encapsulation).

This test circuit allows testing tyres, shock absorbers, road

surfaces, expansion joints and roadway markings under

extreme conditions (temperature range + 60 °C to – 30 °C,

axle load 10 t, maximum speed 100 km/h) in order to be

able to simulate high traffic loads in a short time.

Two test slabs are fabricated (Figure 9). The same road

finishing is applied as will be installed in Karlsruhe: basalt

stones. The rail orientation is different for both of them

(Figure 10, Figure 11). The dimensions were fixed during

meetings at Stuva in Cologne.

The test was carried out the beginning of 2008. After this test, it can be stated that the test slabs

with basalt stones show excellent results.

Figure 9

Fabricated test slabs



D0109_CDM_M24.doc

Figure 10

STUVA test circuit composition. List of partners and position of their test slab on the circuit

Figure 11

Two different STUVA test slabs proposed: rail in the direction of the rolling surface and two rails

perpendicular to the rolling surface



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Figure 12

Test bodies with Karlsruhe basalt stones on test circuit STUVA during test



D0109_CDM_M24.doc

2.2. SMALL REMOVABILITY TEST

Because the modules are surrounded by concrete during installation, the modules have to be

separated from the concrete to prevent that the concrete attaches to the modules. 2 possible

solutions are contemplated: rubber and PE-film (plastic foil). To make sure that the PE-film

doesn’t melt by the hardening warmth of the concrete and to determine the force necessary to

pull out the modules, a test is carried out.

The test involves the production of a small concrete block (representing the prefabricated

module). This small block is surrounded with a separating material. Concrete is poured around

it, simulating the concrete poured in reality (Figure 13). After the hardening, the small block is

pulled out the surrounding block and the force needed to do so, is measured.

It can be assumed that decompression complicates the pulling out. Therefore, in some blocks a

tube is inserted to make contact with the air and eliminate decompression.

Figure 13

Plan test block small removability test



D0109_CDM_M24.doc

Three test blocks are produced (Figure 14):

1. test block with plastic foil;

2. test block with plastic foil and tube against decompression;

3. test block with rubber, vaseline and tube against decompression.

Figure 14

Production 3 test blocks

The force needed to push out the small cube of test blocks 2 and 3 is measured in the CDM

laboratory.

Figure 15

Test setup CDM laboratory



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Figure 16

Test block with plastic foil and tube against decompression

5kN was needed to pull out the small block of the test block with plastic foil and tube against

decompression.

Figure 17

Test block with rubber, vaseline and tube against decompression

The first movement of the test block with rubber, vaseline and tube against decompression took

place at 8kN. The force needed to push out the rest of the block was 5kN.

The blocks came out undamaged. The test block with plastic foil gave the best results. These

tests show that the force needed to remove the modules can‘t be neglected and the anchors of

the modules should be calculated accordingly. However small scale parameters may have

influenced these test results. Therefore, a big scale test with plastic foil is planned to compare

and to simulate real scale.

The force needed to pull out the small cube of test block 1. (without tube, no possibility to push)

will be measured at UCL “Université Catholique de Louvain”, one of the Urban Track partners.

If this gives good results, an execution without decompression tube is preferable, because of the

difficulty to implement this on site.



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2.3. BIG REMOVABILITY TEST

Dimensions of the big removability test block (width, height) will be adapted to the project

dimensions (Figure 18). A length of 3 m is proposed. The version with plastic foil will be tested

with or without decompression tube, depending on the results of the small removability test at

UCL.

Figure 18

First proposal big removability test, dimensions have to be changed according to project in reality



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2.4. SURFACE FINISHING

The surface finishing is very important in a street like Kaiserstrasse. Therefore VBK requested to

make a test piece (1m²) with basalt stones provided from them. This way the prefabrication

could be tested and a first impression of the joints-stones and total finishing was possible.

Figure 19

Prefabricated test piece with basalt stones



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3. LIFE CYCLE COST

Participation at the SP4 LCC-workshop, organised by TTK and DI :

The handling of the LCC tool, developed in SP4, was taught. LCC calculation for the developed

re-modulix design and a reference track (Modulix) were carried out. Data were collected for life

cycle cost calculations. As reference track the same prefabricated system was taken into account

without special slabs to allow re-use.

The most important parameters adopted in the LCC calculation are:

200 m of straight single track;

Cost of engineer = 70 €/h, technician = 50 €/h, skilled labour = 30 €/h;

After 10 years the track has to be demolished because of the construction of a tunnel which

will make all urban tracks underground. Re-modulix can be “recycled” and re-installed on

another track. Modulix has to be demolished and a new modulix has to be installed on

another track.

Re-modulix:

Demolition old track and installation new track: 1900 €/m (every life cycle);

Demolition old track and re-installation: 1900 €/m (after first 10 years);

Rail renewal: 140 €/m material cost; 80 €/m external cost; 0,25 h/m engineer; 0,75 h/m

skilled labour (after 15 years);

Rail grinding: 10 €/m external cost; 1 h/m skilled labour (every 3 years).

Modulix:

Demolition old track and installation new track: 1900 €/m (every life cycle);

Demolition, re-installation and re-use: 1100 €/m (after first 10 years); 250 €/m socio-

economic cost (modulix can not be re-used, no recycling of materials);

Rail renewal: 140 €/m material cost; 80 €/m external cost; 0,25 h/m engineer; 0,75 h/m

skilled labour (after 15 years);

Rail grinding: 10 €/m external cost; 1 h/m skilled labour (every 3 years).



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Figure 20

Graphic of total LCC over period under consideration candidates vs. Life Cycle phases

Construction &Investment

Operation &Maintenance

Total

Reference: Modulix 521.577 € 64.151 € 585.728 €

Ca

nd

idat

es

Re-Modulix 472.435 € 73.636 € 546.071 €

Reduction 9,4% -14,8% 6,8%

Figure 21 Table for total LCC over period under consideration candidates vs. Life Cycle phases

Further to the last calculations, the comparison of re-modulix and reference track shows a LCC

reduction of 6,8% without incorporating socio-economic costs.

The main difference with this reference system is the fact that the system is reusable after

demolition of the track. This way the materials are recycled which follows the current tendency

towards recycling and care for the environment (reduction 9,4% construction and investment

costs).

Operation and maintenance costs do not show a reduction because of the rail renewal that is

necessary for the Re-Modulix but not for the Modulix system (re-used rail versus new rail).

When incorporating socio-economic costs in a further phase of the LCC calculations, the LCC

reduction will improve.

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