TERRAM enhances track performance TERRAM’s PW1, PW2, PW9 and PW4-LA products, alongside the brand’s flagship product range Hydrotex, are designed to enhance track performance, significantly extend design life, reduce overall material costs and minimise the time required to renew a specific length of track. The use of geosynthetics to reduce or replace traditional layers is now an accepted part of trackbed construction around the world and industry leader TERRAM has developed some of the most innovative geosynthetic products on the market. A geosynthetic provides one of four functions when used in trackbed construction; separation to maintain the integrity of the adjacent soil types, filtration to prevent leaching of soil particles, drainage to allow the free passage of water, and reinforcement to provide additional strength. TERRAM PW1 is compact, easy to transport and can be rapidly laid ready for placement of the ballast. The ability of the product to act as a filter over the design life is proven in numerous projects globally. Localised excavations along 8 to 10 year old installations have revealed TERRAM PW1 to be in good condition and visual inspection showed that it would continue to do the job for years to come. TERRAM PW2 and PW9 are robust trackbed separators designed for where the sub-grade soils are good, but contain angular stone. This angular stone could damage a standard geotextile, so a robust geotextile that protects the separation function of the geotextile is needed. Manufactured using HDPE geonet sandwiched between two layers of TERRAM PW1, TERRAM PW2 provides the necessary robustness when used with large angular soil particles. TERRAM PW9 is a mechanically entangled robust separator/filter manufactured from high tenacity UV stabilised virgin polypropylene fibres that provides longterm durability in all soil types and protects from angular stone damage. TERRAM PW4-LA is a composite of TERRAM PW1 and a geogrid, which speeds up the installation time when both reinforcement and a filter/separator are needed. TERRAM PW4-LA provides a genuine alternative to increasing ballast depth or chemical stabilisation by improving ballast performance and making it more consistent, allowing higher speeds to be achieved. TERRAM’s flagship rail product, Hydrotex, provides an innovative permanent way solution for trackbed stability, mitigating the issue of clay pumping. Many thousands of metres of Hydrotex have been installed in rail applications across the world, which has saved users and the environment from costly excavation work. TERRAM Hydrotex sandwiches together a micro-porous filter at the centre of two robust layers of geotextile to protect it from potential damage. The real benefit of Hydrotex is that it reduces the depth of excavation that would be required with a sand blanket. The result is a decrease in the amount of spoil being taken away for landfill, a reduction in the vehicles needed to deliver materials, and a decrease in valuable possession time.
With over 45 years unrivalled expertise and experience in the geosynthetics industry, TERRAM’s innovative products continue to revolutionise and improve the rail industry. For more information, visit www.terram.com or contact the sales team on +44 (0)1621 874200