Recommendations for the design and use of prestressed monoblock concrete sleepers

This IRS gives the requirements for the design of monoblock prestressed concrete sleepers. The primary application is for mainline railway tracks, covering narrow- (1000 mm), standard- (1435 mm) or wider-than-standard gauges (e.g., 1668 mm for broad gauge) with speeds of up to 350 km/h or axle loads up to 300 kN, but the principles can be valid for other applications. The combination of speeds and axle loads is in agreement with the principles of EU 2030/2050, whereby a "standard" design is considered to be suitable for freight trains of up to 250 kN axle load with 160 km/h maximum speed and passenger trains of up to 180 kN axle load with 350 km/h maximum speed.

This document is intended to support but not replace European Standards on this subject, in particular:

- EN 13230, parts 1 to 5 - Concrete sleepers and bearers (2016), and EN 13230, part 6 (2019).

- EN 13146 - Fastening systems (2012).

This document summarises background information that has been presented in CEN/TC256 / SC1 /WG16 / SG1 for editing EN 13230-6.

It integrates in full or in part the following UIC leaflets:

- UIC Leaflet 713

It complements the following standards:

- EN 13230, parts 1 to 5 - Concrete sleepers and bearers (2016) and EN 13230, part 6 (2019)

- EN 13146 - Fastening systems (2012)