Rail pads, originally called sole plates, are elastic polyurethane mats assembled between steel rails and rail sleepers to protect the sleeper top from wearing and impacting. The starting stiffness of rail pads is designed not to be high so that their relative deformation under the spring clip toe loads is greatly substantial. This mechanism guarantees the rail pad maintaining in close contact with the rail despite of any vertical movements of the latter.
Rail pads are commonly made of rubber, EVA, and HDPE. The following are the mechanical properties of these three materials.
EVA Rail Pad
| EVA: Polyethylene 80%, Vinyl Acetate 20%. | |||
| Technical Parameter | Unit | Technical Requirement | Value |
| Density | g/cm3 | 0.95-0.98 | 0.95 |
| Tensile Strength | Mpa | ≥15 | 16 |
| Elongation | % | >500 | 550 |
| Melting Point | ℃ | 170-190 | 170 |
| Insulation Resistance | Ω | ≥1×1010 | 5.0 ×1010 |
| Hardness | A | ≥90 | 92(A) |
HDPE Railway Pad
| Technical Parameter | Unit | Technical Requirement | Value |
| Density | g/cm3 | 0.95-0.98 | 0.95 |
| Tensile Strength | Mpa | ≥19 | 19 |
| Elongation | % | >80 | 150 |
| Melting Point | ℃ | 170-190 | 190 |
| Insulation Resistance | Ω | ≥1×1010 | 3.5 ×1010 |
| Hardness | A | ≥98 | 98(A) |
| Technical Parameter | Unit | Value |
| Stiffness | KN | 90-130 |
| Hardness Shore A | ℃ | 72-80 degree |
| Electronic Resistance | Ω | ≥ 106 |
| Tensile Strength before Aging | Mpa | ≥12.5 |
| Elongation before Aging | % | ≥250 |
Our EVA/HDPE/rubber rail pads are with high elasticity, applying to types for rails such as rail UIC54, UIC60, BS80lbs, BS100lbs, and sizes as ordered. The pads can be customized with or without grooves, in various possible designs, depending on customers' requirements.
