Prefabricated Wire Mesh Ballast Assembly with Integrated Injection Pipes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional gravel-ballasted tracks face issues with deformation due to train loads and water accumulation, leading to settlement and maintenance challenges, particularly with the complex installation of separate injection pipes for stabilizing materials.

Innovation Solution

A prefabricated wire mesh assembly with an internal partition wall and pre-installed injection pipes is used, allowing for efficient injection of filling material without additional pipe installations, and featuring a drainage pipe to prevent water infiltration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate injection pipes are installed through vertical boreholes for ballast reinforcement, then the gravel ballast can be reinforced without separately replacing the existing gravel ballast, but the constructability is limited and maintenance becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveballast reinforcementVSAvoidconstructability and maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated structure: the wire mesh assembly serves as both the ballast reinforcement framework and the injection pipe support system. The injection pipes are pre-installed on the wire mesh assembly, eliminating the need for separate pipe installation through boreholes. This merging of functions resolves the contradiction by maintaining reinforcement effectiveness while dramatically improving constructability and maintenance ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The injection pipes are pre-installed on the wire mesh assembly during manufacturing, before the actual ballast reinforcement operation. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex on-site pipe installation through vertical boreholes, thereby improving constructability while maintaining the reinforcement function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If injection pipes are individually installed through vertical boreholes, then ballast stabilizing material can be injected into gaps within the gravel ballast, but additional installation work is required which increases construction complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveballast stabilizationVSAvoidconstruction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the injection pipe system with the wire mesh assembly into a single integrated structure. The injection pipes are pre-installed on the wire mesh assembly, which eliminates the need for separate pipe installation operations. This integration reduces construction complexity while maintaining the ballast stabilization function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The injection pipes are pre-installed on the wire mesh assembly during manufacturing, before the actual ballast reinforcement operation. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex on-site pipe installation through vertical boreholes, thereby reducing construction complexity while maintaining stabilization effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Strength

If rebar meshes are stacked in an inclined manner to form ballast shoulder, then the ballast shoulder can be reinforced, but separate fixing brackets and angle brackets are required which increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveballast shoulder reinforcementVSAvoidfixing components
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the ballast shoulder reinforcement function with the wire mesh assembly itself. The wire mesh assembly is configured to form the ballast shoulder structure directly, eliminating the need for separate fixing brackets and angle brackets. This integration maintains reinforcement strength while reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Power

If multiple injection ports are formed separately in the rebar mesh, then injection material can be injected at high pressure, but the manufacturing cost inevitably increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection pressureVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple injection ports into a single integrated injection pipe system that is pre-installed on the wire mesh assembly. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining the capability for high-pressure injection material delivery, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution enhances injection efficiency, reduces construction complexity, and prevents water-induced subsidence, allowing for effective stabilization and maintenance of gravel-ballasted tracks without the need for separate ballast shoulders.

Implementation Method 1

a ballast stabilizing material 9 is injected through head parts 11 of the injection pipes 15. The ballast stabilizing material 9 is injected into gaps within the gravel ballast 3 and solidified.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolidification: Freezing

Implementation Method 2

the gravel particles 2 are bound together through the solidification of the injection material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBinding: Adhesive

Implementation Method 3

a drainage pipe, which is pre-installed at the bottom of the wire mesh assembly, to prevent rainwater and the like from infiltrating into the gravel ballast and from being introduced into the roadbed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP4538456A1Prefabricated wire mesh assembly for ballast and method of constructing gravel-ballasted track using the same
Publication Date: 2025.04.16 KOREA RAILROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE
  • EP4538456A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4538456A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4538456A1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

Disclosed are a prefabricated wire mesh assembly for a ballast and a method of constructing a gravel-ballasted track using the same. For example, when a gravel ballast (A1) is used by filling a box-shaped rebar mesh with crushed stones (including gravel) and injecting a filling material, the prefabricated wire mesh assembly increases injection efficiency by further installing an internal partition wall to effectively support loads without forming a separate ballast shoulder (A2) and injecting a filling material through injection pipes (120) installed on an internal partition wall (130), and prevents water accumulation on a roadbed by a drainage pipe. The prefabricated wire mesh assembly for a ballast is assembled by installing the injection pipe (120) along with the lower mesh (110) and the internal partition wall (130), thereby allowing the filling material to be injected without installation of a plurality of separate injection pipes (120).