Railway Base Rehabilitation Using Resin Injection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The deterioration of bituminous mortar layers in railway tunnels due to aggressive water infiltration leads to instability and potential dangerous failures, requiring costly and complex maintenance methods that involve extensive railway traffic stoppages and prolonged operational times.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves removing and replacing the bituminous mortar layer with a resinous material, using a specialized apparatus to create a cavity, cleaning and preparing the area, and injecting an elastic thixotropic two-component resin to restore the compact solid layer, allowing for continuous railway operation and reduced maintenance time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the bituminous mortar layer is removed completely to rehabilitate the railway base, then the deterioration problem is solved, but the operational time and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of railway baseVSAvoidrailway traffic stoppage time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The rehabilitation work is divided into sequential segments: first removing bituminous mortar only from lateral zones adjacent to tracks, then injecting resinous material into created cavities, and finally removing bituminous mortar from central zones. This segmentation allows progressive rehabilitation while maintaining track support throughout the process, minimizing traffic stoppage time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The apparatus positions support elements and injection systems in advance before actual rehabilitation begins. The carriage is equipped with all necessary components (cutting blades, injection nozzles, support structures) to perform multiple operations sequentially without requiring track access interruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the bituminous mortar layer is removed completely, then the deterioration problem is solved, but the complexity and cost of maintenance increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of railway baseVSAvoidmaintenance operation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The apparatus integrates multiple functions into a single device: lateral zone preparation with cutting blades, cavity injection with resinous material, and central zone preparation. This multi-functional apparatus reduces the need for multiple separate maintenance operations and equipment, simplifying the overall maintenance process while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If a compact solid layer of bituminous mortar is used, then the contact regularisation and stress absorption is achieved, but the layer deteriorates rapidly due to aggressive water

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact regularisation and stress absorptionVSAvoidresistance to water deterioration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameters by replacing bituminous mortar with resinous material that has superior resistance to aggressive water. The resinous material maintains the necessary mechanical properties for contact regularisation and stress absorption while being immune to water-induced deterioration that plagues bituminous mortar.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The apparatus uses composite construction with a carriage supporting multiple functional components (cutting mechanisms, injection systems, support structures). The resinous material itself acts as a composite alternative to bituminous mortar, combining the required mechanical properties with enhanced chemical resistance to aggressive water environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method effectively restores the stability of the railway base without requiring the removal of tracks, reducing operational costs and time, enabling rehabilitation in sections with minimal traffic disruption, and ensuring the same compression strength as the original layer.

Implementation Method 1

injecting an elastic thixotropic two-component resin in a fluid form in the longitudinal cavity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThixotropy: Thixotropy

Implementation Method 2

obtained from two separate components which are mixed in-situ to define the resinous material in a fluid form

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMixing:

Data Source

PatentEP3591119B1Method and system for the rehabilitation of the base of a railway line

Publication Date: 2021.09.08 IVECOS SPA

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AI summary

A method for the rehabilitation of the base of a railway line (1) having a horizontal layer (6) of compact material positioned below the tracks (4), the method comprising a step of removing, on both sides of the tracks (4), a continuous longitudinal portion (6a) of the horizontal layer (6) to form a relative continuous longitudinal cavity (11), a step of injecting a resinous material in a fluid form in the longitudinal cavity (11), the resinous material being such as to reconstitute, after hardening, the continuity of the horizontal layer (6) of compact material.