Functions And Features of Rubber Rail Pads in Railway Fastening System

Rubber rail pads, originally called sole plates or sole pads, are elastic polyurethane mats that are interposed between railway sleepers and steel rails. Their function of rubber rail pad is to reduce fatigue cracking of the concrete ties, which is believed to be driven by impact and vibration from the passing train. The starting stiffness of a rubber rail pad is designed to not be high so that their relative deformation under the elastic rail clip toe loads is greatly substantial. By this means, it can guarantee the rubber rail pad maintaining in close contact with the rail despite of any vertical movements of the latter. In addition, the reason why rubber rail pads made up of rubber or plastic is to dampen the shocks of vibration of a passing train.

Functions of Rubber Rail Pads

It is thought that the rubber rail pads act in two main ways: they diminish shock or impact loads by providing compliance, and they can reduce (by isolation and perhaps by damping) resonant vibrations excited in the concrete ties (lowest resonant frequency about 200 Hz) and accommodate vibration deflections in the rail sections between the ties (about 0.12mm amplitude, 1000 Hz). In addition, rubber rail pads can prevent rail sleeper abrasion, and crushing of the sleeper under the rail foot.

Features of Rubber Rail Pads

Good resistance for vibration and aging, abrasion performance, stability, high and low temperature resistance. The rubber rail pads are mainly composed of natural rubber, styrene, chloroprene and high-density polyethylene, and the rubber rail pad has high elasticity and is not easy to deform or break in a large range of temperatures.
Rubber rail pad has long service life, low maintenance and replacement cost.
With strong force, good anti-shock performance, good insulation performance, wear-resisting, frequent shrinkage and deformation, high strength, aging resistance, no mud turnover, long service life and convenient installation. The reasonable use of the rubber rail pads can greatly improve the transportation capacity of motor vehicles, reduce the number of highway maintenance, and avoid accidents caused by motor vehicle flameout.