Prestressed concrete sleepers for Thailand’s major railroad construction projects

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

Following the demolding process, the quadruple sleeper molds are oiled and cleaned, before installing the dowels required for the subsequent fastening to the rails

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

A reinforcement inserting manipulator installs the prepared prestressing wires in the concrete mould

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

At first, the individual wires are manually fixed with the tensioning and anchor bolts already installed in the mold

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

The prestressing steel bars are tensioned with a prestressing force of 460 kN in a semi-automated process

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

The semi-automated concrete distributor moves along a bridge structure between the concrete mixing station situated in the outside area and the concreting line

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

The concrete molds are passing the insulated curing chamber through rail-mounted furnace lines situated in parallel, at predefined cycle times

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

A special lifting beam situated in the outlet area of the curing chamber carries the concrete molds to the detensioning station

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

Then the tension reversal process is initiated via a semi-automated detensioning station

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

A turning spreader beam is moving the released concrete mold into an outlet area, turning the same by 180^o, before the an electric lifting device removes the sleeper from the mold

Figure: Vollert Anlagenbau

Over the next five years, Thailand is planning several major railroad construction projects as to provide a better link between the metropolises and the less-developed rural area. The Strabag Group will supply a total of 1.73 million prestressed concrete sleepers for the rail network of these projects.

Thailand has seen a rapid economic boom since the 1970 s. This happened in a much shorter period than in Taiwan or South Korea, for example. In spite of the current political instability and a growth rate of only 5 %, the country continues to focus on expanding the industrial sector, that contributes 45 % of the total gross national product, besides tourism. For this reason, the government is investing in infrastructure development. There are plans for several major railroad construction projects to be accomplished over the next years, providing a better link between Thailand’s metropolises...