Rail pads play a critical role in the stability and maintenance of railway systems. As an essential component in solidifying the relationship between the rail and the railway sleeper, they provide not only structural support but also enhance the overall performance of railway infrastructure.
What are the standards for the cold and heat resistance of rail pads?
Rail pad standards for cold and heat resistance focus on maintaining elasticity, preventing hardening/softening, and ensuring structural integrity across extreme temperatures, using tests like compression set at low temps (e.g., -25°C) for cold regions and elevated temps (e.g., 100°C) for heat, plus low-temp brittle points (e.g., -40°C) and aging tests (ISO standards like 188, 48, 37, 1431) to measure material performance like recovery, tensile strength, and no cracking. Key indicators are low-temp elastic recovery (≥75%), low brittle temp (≤-40°C), and minimal change in hardness/strength after heat aging.
Cold Resistance Standards (Low Temperatures)
- Compression Set: Max 65% after 22 hours at -25°C (TSC 1653/ISO 1431) to ensure it doesn't permanently deform.
- Low-Temperature Brittle Point: Should be ≤-40°C to prevent cracking and loss of cushioning.
- Elastic Recovery: ≥75% at -30°C to maintain vibration damping.
- Wear Resistance: Low wear rate (e.g., ≤0.5mm/year) to combat ice/snow friction.
Heat Resistance Standards (High Temperatures)
- Compression Set: Max 30% after 22 hours at 100°C (ISO 815).
- Aging Tests (ISO 188 + ISO 48/37): Limits on changes in hardness (+10 IRHD), tensile strength (≤30%), and elongation (≤40%) after 3 days at 100°C to ensure material stability.
- Ozone Resistance: No cracking after 100 hours at 400°C and 200 pphm elongation (ISO 1431).
Material-Specific Considerations
- EVA/HDPE: Good for general use, but EVA can soften in high heat (tunnels).
- Rubber/Neoprene: Can be enhanced with carbon fiber for coastal/salt spray resistance.
| 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. |
As a professional rail fastener manufacturer, GNEE RAIL can produce various types of rubber rail pads with different materials, such as natural rubber, EVA, HDPE and so on. In railway fastening system, rubber rail pads are often installed between the rail tracks and the concrete railway sleepers.