Due to increasing traffic flows the extension of transport infrastructure with rail roads and high speed lines is an ongoing process worldwide. Ballastless track systems with concrete slabs are used more and more. Following the first trials in the 1970s and more than four decades of R&D work on ballastless track, the level of development is such that it can be confirmed that ballastless track is suitable for use as an alternative to ballasted track. This book makes a contribution to the state of the art of ballastless track by describing the basics for designing the ballastless track. Important advice is provided regarding the construction of ballastless track on earthworks and in tunnels. There is also a description of the technical history of the development of ballastless track on bridges and the ensuing findings for bridge design. The state of the art of ballastless track for switches, important information on details concerning drainage, transitions, accessibility for road vehicles and experience gleaned from maintenance round off the work. Selected chapters from the German concrete yearbook are now being published in the new English "e;Beton-Kalender Series"e; for the benefit of an international audience. Since it was founded in 1906, the Ernst & Sohn "e;Beton-Kalender"e; has been supporting developments in reinforced and prestressed concrete. The aim was to publish a yearbook to reflect progress in "e;ferro-concrete"e; structures until - as the book's first editor, Fritz von Emperger (1862-1942), expressed it - the "e;tempestuous development"e; in this form of construction came to an end. However, the "e;Beton-Kalender"e; quickly became the chosen work of reference for civil and structural engineers, and apart from the years 1945-1950 has been published annually ever since.

Angesichts der zunehmenden Verkehrsdichte und -lasten auf Schienenwegen einschl. Tunnelbauwerken sowie des Ausbaus der Hochgeschwindigkeitsnetze weltweit kommt die Betonbauweise der Festen Fahrbahn zunehmend zum Einsatz.Nach ersten Erprobungen in den 1970er-Jahren und mehr als vier Jahrzehnten Forschungs- und Entwicklungsarbeit auf dem Gebiet der Festen Fahrbahn wurde ein Entwicklungsstand erreicht, der die Anwendbarkeit der Festen Fahrbahn als Alternative zum Schotteroberbau bestätigt. Dieses Buch spiegelt den aktuellen Stand der Technik der Festen Fahrbahn wider und beschreibt die grundlegende Bemessung der Tragplattenkonstruktion.Es werden wichtige konstruktive Hinweise für die Feste Fahrbahn auf dem Erdbauwerk und im Bereich von Tunneln gegeben. Es folgt eine Beschreibung der technischen Historie zur Entwicklung der Festen Fahrbahn auf Brücken und den daraus resultierenden Erkenntnissen für die Brückenkonstruktion. Der aktuelle Stand der Festen Fahrbahn im Weichenbereich, wichtige Hinweise zu konstruktiven Details der Entwässerung, den Übergängen und der Befahrbarkeit mit Straßenfahrzeugen und Erfahrungen zur Instandhaltung runden das Thema ab.Seit 1906 begleitet der Verlag Ernst & Sohn mit dem Beton-Kalender die Entwicklung des Stahlbeton- und Spannbetonbaus. Dieses Buch sollte das Fortschreiten des Eisenbetonbaus jährlich begleiten, und zwar so lange, bis die "stürmische Entwicklung", so der erste Herausgeber Fritz von Emperger (1862-1942), der Bauweise ein Ende gefunden hätte.Ausgewählte Kapitel des Beton-Kalender werden in der neuen englischsprachigen Reihe BetonKalender Series dem internationalen Markt zur Verfügung gestellt.

1 Introduction and state of the art1.1 Introductory words and definition1.2 Comparison between ballasted track and ballastless track1.3 Basic ballastless track types in Germany - the state of the art1.3.1 Developments in Germany1.3.2 Sleeper framework on continuously reinforced slab1.3.3 Continuously reinforced slab with discrete rail seats1.3.4 Precast concrete slabs1.3.5 Special systems for tunnels and bridges1.3.6 Further developments1.3.7 Conclusion1.4 Ballastless track systems and developments in other countries (examples)2 Design2.1 Basic principles2.1.1 Regulations2.1.2 Basic loading assumptions2.2 Material parameters - assumptions2.2.1 Subsoil2.2.2 Unbound base layer2.2.3 Base layer with hydraulic binder2.2.4 Slab2.3 Calculations2.3.1 General2.3.2 Calculating the individual rail seat loads2.3.3 Calculating bending stresses in a system with continuously supported track panel2.3.4 System with individual rail seats2.3.5 Example calculation2.4 Further considerations2.4.1 Intermediate layers2.4.2 Temperature effects2.4.3 Finite element method (FEM)3 Developing a ballastless track3.1 General3.2 Laboratory tests3.2.1 Rail fastening test3.2.2 Testing elastic components3.2.3 Tests on tension clamps3.3 Lateral forces analysis4 Ballastless track on bridges4.1 Introduction and history4.1.1 Requirements for ballastless track on bridges4.1.2 System-finding4.1.2.1 Geometric restraints4.1.2.2 Acoustics4.1.2.3 Design4.1.3 System trials and implications for later installation4.1.4 Measurements during system trials4.1.5 Regulations and planning guidance for laying ballastless track on bridges4.1.6 The Cologne-Rhine/Main and Nuremberg?Ingolstadt lines4.1.7 VDE 8 - new forms of bridge construction4.2 Systems for ballastless track on bridges4.2.1 The principle behind ballastless track on long bridges4.2.2 Ballastless track components on long bridges4.2.3 Ballastless track on short bridges4.2.4 Ballastless track on long bridges4.2.5 The bridge areas of ballastless tracks4.2.6 End anchorage4.3 The challenging transition zone4.3.1 General4.3.2 The upper and lower system superstructure way and bridge4.3.4 General actions and deformations at bridge ends4.3.5 Summary of actions4.3.6 Supplementary provisions for ballastless track on bridges and analyses4.3.7 Measures for complying with limit values4.3.8 Summary, consequences and outlook5 Selected topics5.1 Additional maintenance requirements to be considered in the design5.2 Switches in ballastless track in the Deutsche Bahn network5.3 Ballastless track maintenance5.4 Inspections5.4.1 General5.4.2 Cracking and open joints5.4.3 Anchors for fixing sleepers5.4.4 Loosening of sleepers5.4.5 Additional inspections5.5 Ballastless track repairs5.5.1 Real examples of repairs5.5.2 Renewing rail seats5.5.3 Repairing anchor bolts5.5.4 Dealing with settlement5.5.5 Defective sound absorption elements5.6 Drainage5.6.1 General5.6.2 Draining surface water5.6.3 Drainage between tracks5.6.4 Strip between tracks5.6.5 Cover to sides of ballastless track5.7 Transitions5.7.1 General5.7.2 Transitions in substructure and superstructure5.7.3 Welding and insulated rail joints5.7.4 Transitions between bridges/tunnels and earthworks5.7.5 Transitions between ballastless and ballasted track5.7.6 Transitions between different type of ballastless track5.8 Accessibility for road vehicles5.8.1 General5.8.2 Designing for road vehicles5.8.3 Designing for road vehicle loads5.9 Sound absorption elements5.9.1 General5.9.2 Construction and acoustic requirements5.9.3 Special requirements for materials and constructionReferences