Behaviour of new LCR and ordinary prestressed concrete railway sleepers under repeated impact loads

Rail operations today have become more difficult due to increasing operating speeds and uninterrupted working conditions. Prestressed railway sleepers especially are susceptible to high-frequency dynamic loads from trains and receive significant damage from these loads. Laminated carbon fiber reinforced polyurethane (L-CFRPU) reinforced concrete railway sleeper models (LCR concrete sleepers), which can be produced more economically and practically than prestressed railway sleepers have higher damping and resonance resistance capabilities. In this study, behaviour of railway sleeper under repeated impact loads was investigated and LCR and ordinary prestressed concrete sleepers were compared. According to the results, new LCR concrete sleepers have higher resistance to repeated impact load and show higher residual strength. In addition, these new concrete sleepers are expected to be beneficial in extending the service life of the railway components, reducing maintenance needs, and reducing harmful effects on the environment.