RockDelta has supplied more than
45.000m² of high-tech stone wool
based anti-vibration mat solutions to
several AVE high-speed track
projects in Spain, including track
sections at Martorell (Barcelona),
Túnel del Prat (Barcelona),
Villafranca del Penedès (Barcelona)
and at the entrance to Malaga. After
careful studies and investigations of
mat durability, sensitivity to climatic
impacts, fire safety, insertion loss
and cost-effectiveness of installation,
RockXolid® 30 was chosen for as
vibration isolation solution for the
floating slab track sections and
RockBallast® 1715 was chosen as
vibration isolation solution for the
ballasted track sections.
SPANISH AVE HIGH-SPEED RAIL NETWORK
Spain has embarked on an ambitious
project to develop high speed rail
connections in every major city,
spanning out in a web all around the
country and connecting the urban
dots along the coast. By 2020, the
country plans to have 10,000km of high-speed rail
completed, placing 90% of the
population within only a few dozen
kilometres of a high speed rail line
and shooting Spain to the world’s
top ranks in terms of total high
speed rail on the ground.
ROCKDELTA A PROUD SUPPLIER OF VIBRATION ISOLATION MATS TO ADIF HIGH-SPEED AVE TRACKS
In view of several concurrent AVE
projects, among which are Martorell
(Barcelona), Túnel del Prat
(Barcelona), Villafranca del Penedès
(Barcelona) and the entrance to
Malaga, El Administrador de
Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (AIDF),
has focused on quality anti-vibration
solutions for reducing the disturbance
from trains in the form of ground-borne
vibrations emitted from passing rolling
stock and transmitted via the railway
tracks and sub-ties to the surrounding
houses, offices, hospitals, etc.
ADIF has performed a study of different
ballast mat solutions. Parameters such
as short term and long-term vibration
isolation efficiency, sensitivity to
climatic impacts, reliability (e.g.
fatigue-life and form stability),
production control, ease of installation,
fire safety, cost-effectiveness and – last but not
least – past experiences with resiliently
supported tracks for anti-vibration
mitigation were all evaluated in order to
select a solution that would allow ADIF
to optimise quality and cost.
To avoid inconveniences to dwellings
above – or close by the entrances to – the tunnels, RockXolid 30 (for floating
slab track sections) or RockBallast
1715 (for ballasted track sections) were
chosen as high-efficiency solutions to
help mitigate potential ground-borne
vibration problems at several high-speed ADIF AVE track sections.
As a result of this study, RockDelta has
been selected as one of the preferred
suppliers of ballast mats for the high
speed ADIF AVE tracks; RockXolid 30
as a vibration isolation solution for
floating slab track sections and
RockBallast 1715 as a vibration
isolation solution for ballasted track
sections.
VIBRATION ISOLATION MAT INSTALLATION
The solutions were installed during
spring and summer of 2007. As a
key benefit for the contracts, it
might be noted that rather than
being delivered as large, heavy and
unhandy rolls, RockDelta antivibration
mats are always delivered
as ready-to-install mats typically
with a size of 1m x 1m. This allowed
for a swift, safe and highly cost-effective
installation procedure.