Tram Rail Sound Insulation with Segmented Joint Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soundproofing solutions for tram rails require excessive amounts of joint sealing compound to ensure a permanent seal against water ingress, which is costly and inefficient, especially in elastic track constructions.
Innovation Solution
The joint sealing bodies on both sides of the rail head are equipped with boundary surfaces that ensure deep adhesion, and a filling body is integrated into the chamber filling elements, reducing the need for joint sealing compound by optimizing the shape and placement of these elements to maintain water tightness without increasing the joint size or affecting adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the joint is completely filled with elastic joint sealing compound to ensure permanent water tightness, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the cost and material consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The joint space is divided into two functional zones: a lower adhesive zone completely filled with elastic joint sealing compound to ensure water tightness and adhesion to the rail head and road surface, and an upper non-adhesive zone filled with a cost-effective filler material that provides bulk volume without requiring sealing properties. This segmentation allows the expensive elastic compound to be used only where it is functionally necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
Different material properties are applied to different regions of the joint: the lower region near the rail head receives high-quality elastic joint sealing compound with strong adhesion for permanent sealing, while the upper region receives a simpler filler material. This local differentiation of material quality optimizes both performance and cost by matching material properties to functional requirements in each zone.
2Reliability
If the joint size is increased to improve sealing performance, then the water tightness is improved, but the amount of joint sealing compound required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The joint is segmented into an adhesive sealing zone and a non-adhesive filler zone, allowing the joint to maintain a practical size for sealing effectiveness while the filler material occupies the upper volume without requiring the same sealing properties, thus avoiding proportional increases in expensive elastic compound.
3Quantity of substance
If the joint sealing compound is reduced to save cost, then the material consumption is reduced, but the adhesion and water tightness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The joint sealing compound is concentrated in the lower region where adhesion to the rail head and road surface is critical for water tightness, while the upper region uses a non-adhesive filler material. This local concentration of adhesive material ensures sealing performance is maintained at the critical interfaces without wasting material in regions where adhesion is not required.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-adhesive filler material acts as an intermediary that occupies the upper joint space and transfers loads to the adhesive zone below, allowing the joint sealing compound to be reduced in quantity while maintaining both adhesion and water tightness through the filler's structural support role.
4Quantity of substance
If the filling body is placed close to the rail head to save material, then the joint sealing compound consumption is reduced, but the adhesion area is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The filler material is positioned in the upper joint space where adhesion is not critical, while the lower region near the rail head maintains full adhesive properties. This spatial differentiation ensures the adhesive surface area at the rail head interface is preserved while the filler occupies only the non-critical upper volume.
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 approach saves up to 40% of joint sealing compound while maintaining effective sound insulation and water sealing, ensuring permanent adhesion and flexibility under rail vehicle loads without notch effects.
Implementation Method 1
joint sealing bodies on both sides of the rail head are equipped with boundary surfaces that reach sufficiently deep and act as adhesive surfaces in order to ensure permanent tightness
Implementation Method 2
These joint sealing compounds have strong adhesion to the rail head or to an adjacent road surface and thus enable the soundproofing device to be effectively sealed against the ingress of water
Implementation Method 3
permanently elastic hardening materials such as polyurethane or polysulfide synthetic resin, which have a high elasticity
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sound insulating device on a streetcar rail (1), which is installed in a road and comprises chamber filling elements (3, 4). Joint compound (9, 10) is applied above the chamber filling elements (3, 4) between the rail head (11) and the road surface (8). The adhesive surfaces (21, 22, 23, 24) of the joint compound (9, 10) to the rail head (11) and to the road surface (8) are large enough to be durable. Filling bodies (30, 40) protrude into the space between the rail head (11), road surface (8), and top side (31, 41) of the chamber filling elements (3, 4), but without impairing the size of the boundary surfaces (21, 22, 23, 24) of the joint compound body (9, 10) or triggering notch effects.