A rail pad is inserted in between the rail and baseplate or sleeper. Rail pad is introduced to the railway fastening system because of its resilience or viscoelasticity which can be implemented in the intervention of fatigue cracking of sleepers. The dynamic stress from the wheel or rail impact from both regular and irregular movements is attenuated.
How is the static stiffness value of railroad pads defined?
Railroad pad static stiffness is defined as the ratio of a slowly applied vertical load to the resulting deflection, typically measured in kiloNewtons per millimeter (kN/mm) and calculated from the slope of the force-deflection curve in the elastic region, representing the pad's resistance to deformation under sustained load, crucial for balancing track stability and vibration absorption. It quantifies how much force is needed to achieve a specific vertical movement, with higher values indicating greater rigidity for heavy haul, and lower values providing softness for high-speed rail.
Factors influencing stiffness:
Material: Different polymers (EPDM, EVA, TPE) have inherently different stiffness levels.
| Raw Material | Rubber, EVA, TPEE, HDPE |
| Standard | UIC, AREMA, TB/T2626-95 |
| Application | 43kg/m, 50kg/m, 60kg/m, 75kg/m,115RE, UIC54, UIC60, S49 |
| Model number | 43-7-7, 43-10-7, 50-7-9, 50-10-9, 60-10-17, 60-12-17 |
| Operating temperature | -50~70 degrees |
| Certificate | MSDS, ROHS, REACH |
| Notes | They should be stored in a clean, ventilated place. Don't be in direct sunlight, and keep away from the heat source and chemical reagent. Don't touch the oil, organic solvent, and other chemicals. Banned exposure. |
Temperature: Stiffness generally decreases significantly with increasing temperature.
Thickness: Thicker pads are softer (lower stiffness).
Toe Load: Increased clamping force (toe load) increases stiffness.
What are the differences in stiffness between rail elastic pads made of different materials?
Rail pad stiffness varies significantly by material, with EVA generally being the stiffest, followed by TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) (medium), and EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) (softest) at room temperature; stiffer pads (like EVA) reduce vibration but increase ballast wear, while softer pads (like EPDM/rubber) offer better vibration isolation but can cause more ballast damage, with stiffness also changing with temperature, load, and pad thickness.
GNEE RAIL provides exceptional elastic rail pads of various types for high-speed railways, normal-speed railways, and cranes. Especially the rail pads made of rubber, EVA, TPEE, and HDPE are very popular with customers. Our railway rubber pads fit the rails such as UIC54, UIC60, BS80lbs, BS100lbs, etc. We have more than 130set of machines in our production lines which can reach an annual production capacity of up to 2000, 000 pieces of rail pads. We offer a wide range of rail pads and other track materials at competitive prices.