Prestressed concrete turnout sleepers are currently employed in rail systems. Their use enhances the stability of the ballast, making it simpler to maintain critical geometric dimensions like gauge, horizontal alignment, and direction. This design also addresses issues such as super-elevation and ballast crawling on the guide curve, resulting in a roughly one-third reduction in maintenance workload.
These sleepers typically range from 2.6 to 4.8 meters in length, with a 0.1-meter step. The bottom width of the pillow is 300mm, the top width is 260mm, and the height is 220mm. The arrangement of ballasts perpendicular to the sleeper further contributes to overall stability.
However, the complexity of the joint parts in concrete turnout sleepers poses challenges for replacement and repairs after damage. Additionally, these sleepers, with their substantial self-weight and limited elasticity, make single-root replacement less convenient.
