Adjustable Inserts for Railway Track Trajectory Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current infrastructure designs for guided systems, such as railways and pneumatic tracks, face challenges in adapting to varying trajectory shapes, particularly in underground and aerial structures, where traditional supports and ballast methods are inefficient and hinder evacuation and construction efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of adjustable parts with a three-dimensional geometric shape that matches the trajectory, allowing for standard prefabricated slabs to be used across different infrastructure types, including platforms and viaducts, with adjustment pieces extending under the tracks to accommodate flat, curved, and transition zones, and featuring polymer or composite materials for adaptability and ease of machining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional ballast and sleeper supports are used for rails, then the infrastructure can support the tracks, but the design cannot efficiently adapt to varying trajectory shapes and hinders evacuation and construction efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is divided into modular prefabricated slabs with standardized dimensions that can be systematically arranged to form different trajectory configurations. Each slab contains integrated adjustment parts that can be independently configured, allowing the infrastructure to adapt to various trajectory shapes while maintaining efficient standardized construction processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure incorporates adjustable parts with degrees of freedom that enable dynamic adaptation to different trajectory requirements. The adjustment pieces can be configured in various positions and orientations within the prefabricated slabs, allowing the same standardized slab design to serve multiple trajectory configurations without compromising construction efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom-shaped supports are manufactured for each trajectory zone, then the trajectory requirements can be met, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A universal prefabricated slab design with standardized dimensions serves multiple trajectory zones through the use of adjustable parts. The same slab type can be used for flat zones, curved zones, and transition zones by reconfiguring the adjustment pieces, eliminating the need to manufacture custom-shaped supports for each trajectory zone while maintaining full adaptability to trajectory requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized prefabricated slab design counterbalances the need for custom manufacturing by providing a versatile base structure that can accommodate various trajectory configurations through adjustable components, thereby simplifying manufacturing while maintaining adaptability.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard prefabricated slabs are used across the entire infrastructure, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but the ability to adapt to curved and transition zones is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Adjustable parts serve as intermediaries between the standardized prefabricated slabs and the trajectory requirements. These adjustment pieces are integrated into the slabs and can be configured to create the necessary geometric adaptations for curved and transition zones, allowing standard slabs to achieve non-standard trajectory configurations without compromising assembly simplicity.
4Strength
If heavy concrete supports are used to support the tracks, then structural strength is ensured, but the weight increases and affects the overall infrastructure load
Solution Approach 1:
The support system uses composite construction combining prefabricated concrete slabs with integrated adjustment parts. This composite approach maintains the structural strength of concrete while reducing overall weight through optimized design and the use of adjustment mechanisms that require minimal material while providing substantial functional capability.
Data Source
Figure 1~6
Figure 7~10
AI summary
A set of adjustment pieces (20) intended to interface between a support formed by a prefabricated slab (3) or other similar support of an infrastructure and the rolling and/or guiding means (10) of a guided system, the slab (3) having a base surface (4) that is at least partially flat and delimited by at least a front edge (5), a rear edge (6), a first lateral edge (7), and a second lateral edge (8), the rolling and/or guiding means (10) forming two parallel linear tracks for guiding and/or rolling the guided system and extending between the rear edge (6) and the front edge (5) of the slab (3) along a predefined path associated with the location of the slab (3) in the infrastructure and the shape of the slab (3), characterized in that the adjustment pieces (20) are designed to extend continuously over the base surface (4) of the slab (3), under the guiding means (10), from the rear edge (6) up to the front edge (5),by following the trajectory of the rolling and/or guiding means (10), the three-dimensional geometric shape of each adjusting part (20) being made so as to adapt to said trajectory.