The level crossing at Purfleet was suffering from excessive settlement caused by heavy road and rail traffic and was close to failing. Network Rail required a solution to fix the ballast, groundwork and entire area around the level crossing to help prevent the need for the frequent, heavy maintenance that had been occurring. XiTRACK offered the perfect solution.
XiTRACK Design Process
BBRTL worked in conjunction with its sister company, BBRP, who had been appointed supplier and installer of the level crossing. BBRTL, in association with XiTRACK Ltd, devised an engineering solution based on the XiTRACK Geo-composite process of 3-dimensional ballast reinforcement. The process consisted of instrumenting the site with accelerometers to measure the track displacements and soil surveys. Using the data recorded, a mathematical modelling exercise was undertaken to devise the formulation of the XiTRACK polymer required and the application parameters to provide Network Rail with the optimum stabilisation solution.
XiTRACK Implementation
The team set to work removing the existing level crossing and digging out to a depth of 1.3m. The improved foundation was built up using compacted ballast with the poured polymer added in stages. The resultant Geo-composite was topped with a regulating 250mm layer of ballast to allow tamping and maintenance of the newly installed track, then the new level crossing units constructed.
The works were completed in three days, rather than the three weeks required for conventional treatment, and the level crossing was handed back into service three hours ahead of schedule causing no delays to rail traffic.
Post Works
Network Rail is delighted with the outcome and results to date show a significant improvement across the site with vertical deflection consistent with good track quality measuring +/- 1 to 2mm compared to pre-installation measurement of up to 70mm vertical deflection in places.
The XiTRACK trademark is owned by XiTRACK Limited
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