System Description Englisch 01

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Sonneville AG

Industriezone 2 | 3225 Mntschemier | Switzerland

Tel. +41 32 312 98 50 | Fax +41 32 312 98 88

[email protected] | www.sonneville.com

LOW VIBRATION TRACK SYSTEM (LVT)

2011 This document has copyright, which is owned by Sonneville AG and may not be reproduced, in whole, in part or

in any form whatsoever without prior written authority from Sonneville. This document has been submitted on the under-

standing that it will not be used in any way against the interest of Sonneville.

Doc no:

Rev. date:

DPD079.GN

January 2011

System description


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Doc. no: DPD079.GN

Rev. date: January 2011

2/10 LOW VIBRATION TRACK SYSTEM (LVT) System description

CONTENTS

1. General information______________________________________________________32. Technical description ____________________________________________________33. Installation_____________________________________________________________64. Drainage ______________________________________________________________75.

Transition zones ________________________________________________________7

6. Homologations _________________________________________________________87. System behaviour during use ______________________________________________88. References ____________________________________________________________99. Stages of development __________________________________________________10


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1. General information

The Low Vibration Track (LVT) system has been one of the first slab track systems in the

world and was evolved from bi-block ties for ballast track and slab track by Roger Sonneville.

Going along with the design change from a bi-block tie to a single block system for slab track

the system was redefined as LVT.

Sonneville AG as licensor of the LVT system provides design for the LVT slab track compo-

nents by working together with different licensees all over the world, ensuring a high quality

standard of all components and providing technical support for contractors and clients.

Thanks to the excellent performance today three of the four longest railway tunnels in the

world are equipped with the LVT system.

2. Technical description

The LVT-System consists of reinforced concrete blocks that are separated from the concrete

slab by a rubber boot specially developed for this purpose. This boot contains a resilient block

pad below the concrete block.

Individual concrete block

Resilient block pad

Rubber boot

This elastic support of the concrete block by means of a pad, which is individually designed for

each project, allows improved load distribution. Regardless of the type of fastening system

mounted, an elastic rail pad is used as this is decisive for one of the characteristics of this sys-

tem the dual-level elasticity.


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LVT standard

Longitudinal and cross section

LVT high attenuation (HA)

The LVT HA modification was developed to fulfil the high requirements with regard to vibration

attenuation in urban centres.

Due to its wider block (additional mass) as well as its softer pad, this system has a lower natu-

ral frequency. It therefore bridges the gap between the LVT standard and a floating slab.

With a view to reducing the application of an expensive floating slab to a minimum and main-

taining constant rail track rigidity for the entire project, LVT HA can replace floating slabs in a

certain frequency range.

LVT standard LVT HA


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Low profile (LP) for LVT standard and LVT HA

Depending on the conditions on site, LVT standard or LVT HA supports with a lower profile

can be used.

For normal profile LVT standard and LVT HA, the minimum distance from the bottom edge

of the rail foot (with a 10 mm [0.4 in] rail pad) to the top edge of the 1st stage concrete is

280 mm (~ 11 in).

For the low profile variant for LVT standard and LVT HA, the cross-section can be reduced

by 40 mm (1.5 in). The minimum distance from the bottom edge of the rail foot (with a 10 mm

[0.4 in] rail pad) to the top edge of the 1st stage concrete is 240 mm (9.5 in).

LVT for switches and crossings (S & C)

To achieve homogenous behaviour on theentire track, the LVT S & C system was de-

veloped with elastically mounted single

blocks. Any turnout or crossing geometry can

be reproduced with a combination of only five

different blocks. The exact S & C layout with

proper placement of the blocks is created in

close collaboration with the special trackwork

manufacturer.

Double crossover at East London Line


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Fastening system

The LVT system can be set up with all customary fastening systems. It must be kept in mind

that a rail pad of cdyn = 150 kN/mm (856.5 kips/in) is required to achieve the desired two-stage

elasticity.

3. Installation

The "Top-down installation procedure guarantees excellent track geometry by placing the

track (with the pre-mounted LVT supports) in its end position prior to pouring concrete.

Installation and production tolerances for individual blocks are therefore not critical.

Rhomberg Bahntechnik AGs installation

procedure

Installation procedure using installation bars


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4. Drainage

Efficient surface drainage can be installed depending on the slope of the slab or specific

ground conditions in the middle or along the side. Drainage gutters can also be installed in the

turnout area up to the turnout's interior.

St. Louis open-air station, USA Hong Kong, China

5. Transition zones

LVT standard ballasted track

Transition zones from the slab track to the ballasted track are designed specifically for each

project respectively. The transition can be designed using a variety of approaches to this is-

sue, such as varying distances between supports, adjustments of block pad rigidity, ballast

mats, ballast bonding, additional mounted rails, etc.

The suitable procedure is selected in close collaboration with the customer and according to

country-specific regulations. Depending on the project, combinations of various solution vari-

ants can also get a chance.

LVT standard LVT HA

To ensure a fluid transition of deflection from the LVT standard to the LVT HA system, the

distances between supporting points can be modified, and the rigidity of the pads can be ad-

justed in a stepwise manner.


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6. Homologations

The LVT-System has homologations in the following countries:

Germany Federal Railway Authority (EBA)

Switzerland Federal Railway Authority (BAV)

It has been tested according to:EN 13481-5 und -6

EN 13230

7. System behaviour during use

The LVT-System has been used in Switzerland for more than 15 years without any mainte-

nance required. The precursor system had been installed in the Bzberg tunnel (Switzerland)

as one of the first slab track systems in the world and can thus show close to 50 years of

maintenance-free use. The SBB considers its experiences with the LVT-System to be very

positive.

Even outdoors, the LVT-System displays very good performance when subjected to various

environmental influences. A variety of letters of reference can be obtained on request.

Copenhagen Metro, Denmark Porto Alegre, Brazil


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8. References

The LVT-System is being used on more than 900 km (560 mi) of track throughout the world

and references are available regarding its performance in tunnels, at grade, and on bridges.

The list of references, which is available on demand, contains both metro lines as well as lines

that are used with an increased axle load of 36 t (39.7 US t; Pueblo, CO High Tonnage Loop).For this purpose, the system is adapted to the operator's requirements by utilising a variety of

pads.

Apart from the Eurotunnel, at 120 million GT (132 million US GT) per year the busiest tunnel in

Europe, the LVT-System can produce even further important references, all over the world: In

addition to the projects in tunnels and at grade the system is installed successfully on bridges

and viaducts especially in Asia (Honk Kong), Brazil (Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro) and

England (London).

In Switzerland the Ltschberg base tunnel (max. speed permitted 250 km/h [155 mph]) was

equipped with LVT. The installation of the LVT-System in the Gotthard base tunnel (which isworldwide the longest railway tunnel) has started in 2010.


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Rubber boot depth = 100 mm

(3.9 in)

Rubber boot depth = 153 mm

(6 in)

9. Stages of development

The origins of LVT can be traced to the twin-block concrete sleepers developed in the 40s by

Roger Sonneville for ballasted track. Then in the 60s, a twin block sleeper with tie-bar was

developed for ballastless track.

Twin block sleeper with tie-bar

The tie-bars, which interfered in many projects, were therefore removed in a subsequent de-

velopment step and resulted in the development of the single block system LVT. By dispens-

ing with the tie-bar, it was possible to increase the rubber boot depth and therefore also the

embedment of the support by more than 50 %. This has positive effects on the track geometryand the behaviour of the track.

Single block system LVT

Furthermore, leaving out the tie-bar effects improved behaviour for electrical insulation and

simplifies track cleaning. In addition, the track centre can be used as an escape route.

System Description Englisch 01

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