Lightweight high-strength composite railway sleeper

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of lightweight high-strength composite material railway sleepers, it includes outer shell, inlay core material and connecting assembly. Outer shell is double-layer structure, is composed of fiber reinforced composite material protective layer and high-strength polymer matrix bearing layer;Inlay core material is honeycomb light foam structure, inside fills high-strength ceramic microsphere particle;Connecting assembly is reliably connected with steel rail by fixed plate and adjusting bolt implementation. The present application is significantly reduced by optimizing honeycomb wall thickness, microsphere filling density and support block design, sleeper weight and improves strength and adaptability. The present application solves the traditional sleeper weight and strength contradiction problem, with economy and practicality, provides new solution for railway construction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of railway engineering and composite material technology, and in particular to a lightweight, high-strength composite material railway sleeper. Background Technology

[0002] In railway construction, railway sleepers are crucial foundational components, and their performance directly impacts the stability and safety of the track. Traditionally, sleepers are mostly made of concrete or wood, with concrete sleepers being widely used due to their high strength and durability. However, concrete sleepers are heavy, requiring significant manpower and resources for transportation and installation, and placing high demands on construction equipment. Furthermore, the brittle nature of concrete makes it prone to cracking over long-term use, thus affecting its service life. While wooden sleepers are lighter, their lower strength and susceptibility to environmental factors result in poor durability. Therefore, reducing the weight of sleepers while maintaining their strength has become a key research direction in the current railway construction field. Existing composite material sleepers, while addressing the weight issue to some extent, still suffer from limitations in practical applications, such as insufficient strength or excessive cost, hindering their large-scale adoption. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a lightweight, high-strength composite material railway sleeper, which solves the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0004] This utility model is implemented as follows: a lightweight, high-strength composite material railway sleeper, comprising a sleeper body, wherein the sleeper body is composed of an outer shell and an inner core material, and further comprising:

[0005] The outer shell has a double-layer structure. The outer layer is a protective layer made of fiber-reinforced composite material, and the inner layer is a load-bearing layer made of high-strength polymer matrix. The protective layer and the load-bearing layer are bonded together by a hot-pressing process.

[0006] The embedded core material has a honeycomb structure and is made of lightweight foam material. Each cell of the honeycomb structure is filled with microspheres made of high-strength ceramic material. The embedded core material is fixed to the inner cavity of the outer shell by an adhesive, which is an epoxy resin-based adhesive. The bonding surface between the outer shell and the embedded core material is surface treated to improve the bonding strength.

[0007] A connecting assembly is located at both ends of the sleeper body and is used to connect with the rail. The connecting assembly includes a fixing plate and an adjusting bolt. The fixing plate cooperates with the adjusting bolt through a threaded hole. The bottom of the fixing plate is provided with a protrusion. The protrusion is embedded into the end of the outer shell and fixed by mechanical locking.

[0008] Preferably, the top of the outer shell is provided with a groove structure, the groove structure extends along the length of the sleeper body, and the two side walls of the groove structure are provided with reinforcing ribs, the reinforcing ribs are made of carbon fiber material, and the reinforcing ribs are integrated with the outer shell by an embedded molding process, the groove structure is used to accommodate the rail and provide support.

[0009] Preferably, the cell wall thickness of the honeycomb structure of the embedded core material is optimized, with thinner cell walls near the center of the sleeper body and thicker cell walls near both ends of the sleeper body, to adapt to the stress requirements of different parts. The variation in cell wall thickness of the honeycomb structure is achieved through a mold forming process.

[0010] Preferably, the diameter of the microspheres ranges from 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and the surface of the microspheres is chemically treated to improve the bonding strength with the lightweight foam material. The filling density of the microspheres is higher in the middle region of the outer shell and lower at both ends to further optimize the mechanical properties of the sleeper.

[0011] Preferably, the bottom of the sleeper body is provided with a plurality of support blocks, the support blocks are made of elastic material, and the support blocks are fixed to the bottom of the outer shell by a snap-fit ​​structure. The snap-fit ​​structure includes a slot provided at the bottom of the outer shell and an elastic claw provided at the top of the support block. The height of the support block is adjustable to adapt to different terrain conditions.

[0012] Preferably, the top of the fixing plate is provided with an anti-slip pad, which is made of rubber material and is fixed to the top of the fixing plate by adhesive. The surface of the anti-slip pad is provided with anti-slip texture to improve the friction with the rail.

[0013] Preferably, the top of the adjusting bolt is provided with a rotating handle, the outer surface of the rotating handle is provided with an anti-slip coating, the anti-slip coating is made of polyurethane material, and the rotating handle is hexagonal in shape to facilitate operation with tools.

[0014] The design principle of this utility model lies in fully utilizing the lightweight and high-strength properties of composite materials. By combining an outer shell with an embedded core material, a sleeper structure that combines strength and lightweight is formed. The double-layer structure of the outer shell not only provides excellent protective performance but also enhances the overall load-bearing capacity through the synergistic effect of fiber-reinforced composite materials and a high-strength polymer matrix. The honeycomb structure of the embedded core material effectively reduces the overall weight of the sleeper, while the filling of microspheres further enhances local compressive strength. The optimized wall thickness design of the honeycomb structure allows the sleeper to adapt to different stress requirements in different parts, thereby improving overall mechanical performance. The design of the fixing plate and adjusting bolts of the connecting components ensures a reliable connection between the sleeper and the rail, while the design of anti-slip pads and anti-slip textures improves the stability of the connection. The elastic material and height-adjustable design of the support blocks allow the sleeper to adapt to complex terrain conditions, further improving its applicability.

[0015] In summary, this utility model, through the combination of the outer shell and the embedded core material, the optimized design of the honeycomb structure, and the innovative design of the connecting components, not only significantly reduces the weight of the sleeper but also greatly improves its strength and durability, solving the contradiction between weight and strength in traditional sleepers. It also has high economic efficiency and practicality, providing a brand-new solution for the railway construction field. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the overall structure of the lightweight and high-strength composite railway sleeper provided in this embodiment of the utility model shows the positional relationship of the outer shell, the inner core material, and the connecting components of the sleeper body.

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The enlarged partial cross-section of the main body of the railway sleeper shows in detail the double-layer structure of the outer shell, the honeycomb structure of the embedded core material, and the distribution of microsphere particles.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a partial enlarged view of the connecting components in an embodiment of the present invention, which focuses on showing the structural details of the fixing plate, adjusting bolts, and anti-slip pads.

[0019] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0020] 1. Sleeper body; 2. Outer shell; 3. Inlaid core material; 4. Protective layer; 5. Bearing layer; 6. Honeycomb structure; 7. Microsphere particles; 8. Fixing plate; 9. Adjusting bolt; 10. Anti-slip pad. Detailed Implementation

[0021] This utility model provides a lightweight, high-strength composite material railway sleeper, the structure of which is as follows: Figures 1 to 3As shown in the accompanying drawings, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The sleeper body 1 is composed of an outer shell 2 and an inner core material 3. The outer shell 2 includes a protective layer 4 and a load-bearing layer 5. The inner core material 3 has a honeycomb structure 6 and is filled with microsphere particles 7. The connecting components include a fixing plate 8, adjusting bolts 9 and anti-slip pads 10. The components are closely fitted together through specific processes and structural designs.

[0022] The outer shell 2 is the main load-bearing component of the sleeper body 1, and its double-layer structure consists of a protective layer 4 and a load-bearing layer 5. The protective layer 4, located on the outermost side of the outer shell 2, is made of fiber-reinforced composite material. This material has high tensile strength and corrosion resistance, effectively protecting the internal structure from external environmental influences. The load-bearing layer 5, located inside the protective layer 4, is made of a high-strength polymer matrix. This material has good toughness and load-bearing capacity, working synergistically with the protective layer 4 to improve the overall structural stability. The bonding between the protective layer 4 and the load-bearing layer 5 is achieved through a hot-press molding process. Specifically, the fiber-reinforced composite material is laid in a mold, then coated with a high-strength polymer matrix on its inner surface, and cured under high temperature and pressure conditions, tightly bonding the two together. This double-layer structure not only enhances the overall strength of the outer shell 2 but also provides it with excellent protective performance.

[0023] The embedded core material 3 is located within the internal cavity of the outer shell 2, and its main function is to reduce the overall weight of the sleeper and optimize its mechanical properties. The embedded core material 3 adopts a honeycomb structure 6 design, which is made of lightweight foam material with low density and high specific strength. Each cell of the honeycomb structure 6 is filled with microspheres 7, which are made of high-strength ceramic material and have a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to 2 mm. To improve the bonding strength between the microspheres 7 and the lightweight foam material, the surface of the microspheres 7 is chemically treated to form a rough microstructure, thereby increasing the contact area with the lightweight foam material. The filling density of the microspheres 7 is higher in the central region of the outer shell 2 and lower at both ends. This distribution optimizes the mechanical properties of the sleeper according to the stress requirements of different parts of the sleeper. The cell wall thickness of the honeycomb structure 6 is optimized, with thinner cell walls near the center of the sleeper body 1 and thicker cell walls near the ends of the sleeper body 1. This variation is achieved through a molding process, allowing the sleeper to adapt to different stress conditions in different parts. The embedded core material 3 is fixed in the inner cavity of the outer shell 2 by epoxy resin-based adhesive. Before bonding, the bonding surface between the outer shell 2 and the embedded core material 3 is treated with surface treatment, such as sandblasting or plasma treatment, to improve the roughness and cleanliness of the bonding surface, thereby enhancing the bonding strength.

[0024] The connecting components are located at both ends of the sleeper body 1 to achieve a reliable connection between the sleeper and the rail. The connecting components include a fixing plate 8 and adjusting bolts 9. The fixing plate 8 engages with the adjusting bolts 9 through threaded holes to fix and adjust the position of the rail. The bottom of the fixing plate 8 has a protrusion that embeds into the end of the outer shell 2 and is fixed by mechanical locking, such as with screws or pins for further reinforcement. The top of the fixing plate 8 has an anti-slip pad 10 made of rubber and fixed to the top of the fixing plate 8 by adhesive. The surface of the anti-slip pad 10 has anti-slip textures that provide additional friction during rail installation, preventing rail slippage. The top of the adjusting bolt 9 has a hexagonal rotating handle for easy tool operation. The outer surface of the rotating handle is coated with an anti-slip coating made of polyurethane material, which provides a better grip during manual operation and reduces slippage.

[0025] The top of the sleeper body 1 has a groove structure that extends along the length of the sleeper body 1 to accommodate and support the rail. Reinforcing ribs, made of carbon fiber and integrated with the outer shell 2 using an embedded molding process, are provided on both sides of the groove structure. These reinforcing ribs significantly improve the rigidity of the groove structure, thereby enhancing the sleeper's support capacity for the rail. Multiple support blocks, made of elastic material and fixed to the bottom of the outer shell 2 using a snap-fit ​​structure, are located at the bottom of the sleeper body 1. The snap-fit ​​structure includes slots at the bottom of the outer shell 2 and elastic claws at the top of the support blocks. The elastic claws can be inserted into the slots through elastic deformation, enabling quick installation and removal of the support blocks. The height of the support blocks is adjustable to adapt to different terrain conditions, specifically by replacing support blocks of different heights or adding shims to the bottom of the support blocks.

[0026] The operating principle of this invention lies in fully utilizing the lightweight and high-strength properties of composite materials. A sleeper structure combining strength and lightweight is formed through the combination of the outer shell 2 and the inner core material 3. The double-layer structure of the outer shell 2 enhances the overall load-bearing capacity through the synergistic effect of fiber-reinforced composite materials and a high-strength polymer matrix, while the protective layer 4 effectively resists environmental erosion. The honeycomb structure 6 of the inner core material 3 significantly reduces the overall weight of the sleeper, while the filling of microspheres 7 further enhances local compressive strength. The optimized wall thickness design of the honeycomb structure 6 allows the sleeper to adapt to different stress requirements in different parts, thereby improving overall mechanical performance. The design of the fixing plate 8 and adjusting bolts 9 in the connecting components ensures a reliable connection between the sleeper and the rail, while the design of the anti-slip pad 10 and anti-slip texture improves the stability of the connection. The elastic material and height-adjustable design of the support block allow the sleeper to adapt to complex terrain conditions, further improving its applicability.

[0027] In practical applications, the lightweight, high-strength composite railway sleeper of this invention is suitable for various railway construction scenarios, such as high-speed railways, conventional railways, and urban rail transit systems. During construction, the sleeper body 1 is first placed in the predetermined position, and then the height adjustment function of the support blocks ensures that the sleeper's level meets design requirements. Next, the rail is placed in the groove structure on top of the sleeper body 1 and fixed using the fixing plate 8 and adjusting bolts 9 of the connecting components. The rotating handle of the adjusting bolts 9 can be adjusted manually or with tools until the position and tightness of the rail meet the standard requirements. Throughout use, the outer shell 2 and the inner core material 3 of the sleeper body 1 jointly bear the external load, and the optimized design of the honeycomb structure 6 and microsphere particles 7 ensures that the sleeper maintains stable mechanical properties during long-term use.

[0028] To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and implement this utility model, the following supplementary explanation of the operating principle and implementation steps of this utility model is provided in conjunction with a specific application scenario.

[0029] In high-speed railway construction, when the sleeper body 1 is placed in the designated position, it is essential to ensure that its levelness meets design requirements. This can be achieved by adjusting the height of the support blocks, specifically by replacing support blocks of different heights or adding shims to the bottom of the support blocks. The support blocks are made of elastic material and are fixed to the bottom of the outer shell 2 via a snap-fit ​​structure. The snap-fit ​​structure includes a slot at the bottom of the outer shell 2 and elastic claws at the top of the support blocks. The elastic claws can be inserted into the slots through elastic deformation, thereby achieving quick installation and disassembly. This design not only improves construction efficiency but also allows the sleeper to adapt to complex terrain conditions.

[0030] Subsequently, the rail is placed in the groove structure on top of the sleeper body 1. This groove structure extends along the length of the sleeper body 1 to accommodate the rail and provide support. Reinforcing ribs are provided on both side walls of the groove structure. These ribs are made of carbon fiber and are integrated with the outer shell 2 using an embedded molding process. The presence of the reinforcing ribs significantly improves the rigidity of the groove structure, thereby enhancing the sleeper's support capacity for the rail. At this point, the fixing plate 8 and adjusting bolt 9 of the connecting assembly come into play. The fixing plate 8 works in conjunction with the adjusting bolt 9 through threaded holes to fix and adjust the position of the rail. A protrusion is provided at the bottom of the fixing plate 8, which is embedded into the end of the outer shell 2 and further reinforced by mechanical locking. An anti-slip pad 10 is provided on the top of the fixing plate 8. The anti-slip pad 10 is made of rubber and is fixed to the top of the fixing plate 8 by adhesive. The surface of the anti-slip pad 10 has anti-slip textures, which provide additional friction during rail installation to prevent the rail from slipping. The top of the adjusting bolt 9 is equipped with a rotating handle. The rotating handle is hexagonal in shape, making it easy to operate with tools. The outer surface of the rotating handle is coated with a non-slip coating made of polyurethane material. This coating provides a better grip during manual operation and reduces slippage during operation.

[0031] Throughout its use, the outer shell 2 and the inner core material 3 of the sleeper body 1 jointly bear the external load. The double-layer structure of the outer shell 2 consists of a protective layer 4 and a load-bearing layer 5. The protective layer 4, located on the outermost side of the outer shell 2, is made of fiber-reinforced composite material, possessing high tensile strength and corrosion resistance, effectively protecting the internal structure from the influence of the external environment. The load-bearing layer 5, located inside the protective layer 4, is made of a high-strength polymer matrix, possessing good toughness and load-bearing capacity, and works synergistically with the protective layer 4 to improve the overall structural stability. The bonding between the protective layer 4 and the load-bearing layer 5 is achieved through a hot-press molding process. Specifically, the fiber-reinforced composite material is laid in a mold, then coated with a high-strength polymer matrix on its inner surface, and cured under high temperature and high pressure conditions, making the two tightly bonded together. This double-layer structure not only enhances the overall strength of the outer shell 2 but also provides it with excellent protective performance.

[0032] The embedded core material 3 is located within the internal cavity of the outer shell 2, and its main function is to reduce the overall weight of the sleeper and optimize its mechanical properties. The embedded core material 3 adopts a honeycomb structure 6 design, which is made of lightweight foam material with low density and high specific strength. Each cell of the honeycomb structure 6 is filled with microspheres 7, which are made of high-strength ceramic material and have a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to 2 mm. To improve the bonding strength between the microspheres 7 and the lightweight foam material, the surface of the microspheres 7 is chemically treated to form a rough microstructure, thereby increasing the contact area with the lightweight foam material. The filling density of the microspheres 7 is higher in the central region of the outer shell 2 and lower at both ends. This distribution optimizes the mechanical properties of the sleeper according to the stress requirements of different parts of the sleeper. The cell wall thickness of the honeycomb structure 6 is optimized, with thinner cell walls near the center of the sleeper body 1 and thicker cell walls near the ends of the sleeper body 1. This variation is achieved through a molding process, allowing the sleeper to adapt to different stress conditions in different parts. The embedded core material 3 is fixed in the inner cavity of the outer shell 2 by epoxy resin-based adhesive. Before bonding, the bonding surface between the outer shell 2 and the embedded core material 3 is treated with surface treatment, such as sandblasting or plasma treatment, to improve the roughness and cleanliness of the bonding surface, thereby enhancing the bonding strength.

[0033] Through the above steps and structural design, this utility model achieves a balance between lightweight and high strength. The optimized design of the honeycomb structure 6 and microsphere particles 7 ensures that the sleeper maintains stable mechanical properties during long-term use, while also meeting the construction needs under complex terrain conditions. The elastic material and height-adjustable design of the support block further improve its applicability, enabling the sleeper to adapt to different terrain conditions. The design of the entire system not only solves the contradiction between weight and strength in traditional sleepers, but also possesses high economic efficiency and practicality, providing a brand-new solution for the railway construction field.

[0034] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A lightweight, high-strength composite material railway sleeper, comprising a sleeper body (1), characterized in that, The sleeper body (1) consists of an outer shell (2) and an inner core material (3), and also includes: The outer shell (2) has a double-layer structure. The outer layer is a protective layer (4) made of fiber-reinforced composite material, and the inner layer is a load-bearing layer (5) made of high-strength polymer matrix. The protective layer (4) and the load-bearing layer (5) are bonded together by hot pressing process. The embedded core material (3) is a honeycomb structure (6) made of lightweight foam material. Each cell of the honeycomb structure (6) is filled with microsphere particles (7) made of high-strength ceramic material. The embedded core material (3) is fixed in the inner cavity of the outer shell (2) by epoxy resin-based adhesive. The bonding surface between the outer shell (2) and the embedded core material (3) is surface treated to improve the bonding strength. The connecting assembly is located at both ends of the sleeper body (1) and is used to connect with the rail. The connecting assembly includes a fixing plate (8) and an adjusting bolt (9). The fixing plate (8) is engaged with the adjusting bolt (9) through a threaded hole. The bottom of the fixing plate (8) is provided with a protrusion. The protrusion is embedded in the end of the outer shell (2) and fixed by mechanical locking.

2. The lightweight, high-strength composite railway sleeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the outer shell (2) is provided with a groove structure, which extends along the length of the sleeper body (1). The two side walls of the groove structure are provided with reinforcing ribs, which are made of carbon fiber material. The reinforcing ribs are integrated with the outer shell (2) by an embedded molding process.

3. The lightweight, high-strength composite railway sleeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cell wall thickness of the honeycomb structure (6) of the embedded core material (3) is smaller in the part near the center of the sleeper body (1) than in the part near the two ends of the sleeper body (1). The variation of the cell wall thickness of the honeycomb structure (6) is achieved by the mold forming process.

4. The lightweight, high-strength composite railway sleeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the microspheres (7) ranges from 0.5 mm to 2 mm. The surface of the microspheres (7) is chemically treated to improve the bonding strength with the lightweight foam material. The filling density of the microspheres (7) is greater in the middle region of the outer shell (2) than in the two end regions.

5. A lightweight, high-strength composite railway sleeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the sleeper body (1) is provided with multiple support blocks. The support blocks are made of elastic material and are fixed to the bottom of the outer shell (2) by a snap-fit ​​structure. The snap-fit ​​structure includes a slot at the bottom of the outer shell (2) and an elastic claw at the top of the support block. The height of the support block is adjustable to adapt to different terrain conditions.

6. A lightweight, high-strength composite railway sleeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the fixing plate (8) is provided with an anti-slip pad (10), which is made of rubber material. The anti-slip pad (10) is fixed to the top of the fixing plate (8) by adhesive bonding. The surface of the anti-slip pad (10) is provided with anti-slip texture.

7. A lightweight, high-strength composite railway sleeper according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the adjusting bolt (9) is provided with a rotating handle, the outer surface of the rotating handle is provided with an anti-slip coating, the anti-slip coating is made of polyurethane material, and the rotating handle is hexagonal in shape.

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