RockDelta Supplies Anti-Vibration Mats to ADIF High Speed Tracks, Spain
16 July 2008
RockDelta has supplied more than 45.000m² of high-tech stone wool based anti-vibration mat solutions to several AVE high-speed track projects in Spain, including track sections at Martorell (Barcelona), Túnel del Prat (Barcelona), Villafranca del Penedès (Barcelona) and at the entrance to Malaga. After careful studies and investigations of mat durability, sensitivity to climatic impacts, fire safety, insertion loss and cost-effectiveness of installation, RockXolid® 30 was chosen for as vibration isolation solution for the floating slab track sections and RockBallast® 1715 was chosen as vibration isolation solution for the ballasted track sections.
SPANISH AVE HIGH-SPEED RAIL NETWORK
Spain has embarked on an ambitious project to develop high speed rail connections in every major city, spanning out in a web all around the country and connecting the urban dots along the coast. By 2020, the country plans to have 10,000km of high-speed rail completed, placing 90% of the population within only a few dozen kilometres of a high speed rail line and shooting Spain to the world’s top ranks in terms of total high speed rail on the ground.
ROCKDELTA A PROUD SUPPLIER OF VIBRATION ISOLATION MATS TO ADIF HIGH-SPEED AVE TRACKS
In view of several concurrent AVE projects, among which are Martorell (Barcelona), Túnel del Prat (Barcelona), Villafranca del Penedès (Barcelona) and the entrance to Malaga, El Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (AIDF), has focused on quality anti-vibration solutions for reducing the disturbance from trains in the form of ground-borne vibrations emitted from passing rolling stock and transmitted via the railway tracks and sub-ties to the surrounding houses, offices, hospitals, etc.
ADIF has performed a study of different ballast mat solutions. Parameters such as short term and long-term vibration isolation efficiency, sensitivity to climatic impacts, reliability (e.g. fatigue-life and form stability), production control, ease of installation, fire safety, cost-effectiveness and – last but not least – past experiences with resiliently supported tracks for anti-vibration mitigation were all evaluated in order to select a solution that would allow ADIF to optimise quality and cost.
To avoid inconveniences to dwellings above – or close by the entrances to – the tunnels, RockXolid 30 (for floating slab track sections) or RockBallast 1715 (for ballasted track sections) were chosen as high-efficiency solutions to help mitigate potential ground-borne vibration problems at several high-speed ADIF AVE track sections.
As a result of this study, RockDelta has been selected as one of the preferred suppliers of ballast mats for the high speed ADIF AVE tracks; RockXolid 30 as a vibration isolation solution for floating slab track sections and RockBallast 1715 as a vibration isolation solution for ballasted track sections.
VIBRATION ISOLATION MAT INSTALLATION
The solutions were installed during spring and summer of 2007. As a key benefit for the contracts, it might be noted that rather than being delivered as large, heavy and unhandy rolls, RockDelta antivibration mats are always delivered as ready-to-install mats typically with a size of 1m x 1m. This allowed for a swift, safe and highly cost-effective installation procedure.
