Polymeric composite sleepers - Recommendations for use

This IRS deals with the use of polymeric composite sleepers and bearers in ballasted tracks and polymeric composite transoms for ballastless tracks. The main existing products are described, and the main published standards are listed and examined.This IRS is intended to complement the existing international standards in this area, in particular:

- [4] ISO 12856-1:2022, Railway applications – Polymeric composite sleepers, bearers andtransoms – Part 1: Material characteristics,

- [5] ISO 12856-2:2020, Railway applications – Polymeric composite sleepers, bearers andtransoms – Part 2: Product testing,

- [6 ] ISO 12856-3:2022, Railway applications – Polymeric composite sleepers, bearers andtransoms – Part 3: General requirements.Therefore, this IRS summarises:

- Recommendations for the use of polymeric composite sleepers as an alternative to hardwood sleepers,

- Requirements for the qualification process and quality control procedures,

- Technical and economic findings based on current knowledge regarding polymeric composite sleepers, bearers, and transoms.

These recommendations are based on the laboratory results and in-track experiments from different railways, carried out between 2006 and 2022. Within this framework, specific fields of application are given, stating key recommendations.