Underpinning Unprecedented Urban Growth
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Focus: Urban transit London Underground Underpinning 1890 Paris unprecedented NYC Métro Subway 1900 Budapest urban growth 1904 Metro Boston 1896 Beijing MBTA Istanbul Subway San Francisco 1901 Metro Atlanta Delhi 1971 Tokyo BART 1989 Dubai MARTA Metro Metro 1972 Metro Shanghai 1979 2002 Metro 1927 Cairo 2009 The Metropolitan Railway, now part 1993 1987 of the London Underground system, Mexico Barcelona was the first underground urban City Metro Metro Bangkok Met. railway in the world when it opened 1969 1924 Chennai Caracas Rapid Transit under steam power in 1863. And in 1890, Metro Metro 2004 parts of what is now London Underground Lagos 2015 also became the world’s first electrified 1983 Metro underground railway. 2016 Although underground and other light rail has been around for well over a century now, it is currently experiencing a resurgence of growth, particularly in Asia, where there are Lima Klang Valley Mass large, rapidly expanding populations in developing cities. Metro Rapid Transit India, for example, currently has 30 metro projects planned 2011 Over the past century 2017 in its cities that have populations of over one million. Many Pandrol has supplied urban transit systems are currently under construction in Santiago other parts of the Far East. to and supported some Metro of the world’s oldest, Over the past 20 years, Pandrol has developed its position 1975 longest, busiest and most as a global leader of rail infrastructure solutions for metro Buenos Aires innovative transit systems. Sydney and light rail, with its systems installed in numerous railways Underground Light Rail throughout the world. Designing and manufacturing 1913 fastening systems, welding, electrification solutions and 1997 track equipment, Pandrol can offer multiple solutions from a single supplier. The company’s products and services are designed to maximise efficiency of track installation Pandrol has worked collaboratively with Barcelona Metro for Sydney Light Rail is an example of the challenge and operation, and to address safety and environmental over 20 years and continues to deliver solutions that meet contractors and operators have constructing railway factors such as noise and vibration. A recent addition to the needs of the expanding, historical city to reduce noise infrastructure in the centre of a capital city. Pandrol the Pandrol service offering is track-based monitoring and vibration and minimise the disruption of service for worked with its customer to plan a schedule of works with equipment which generates data that is then analysed using maintenance. For the Line 5 Barcelona Metro project Pandrol minimal interruption to one of the busiest intersections in Pandrol innovative systems. Pandrol’s teams are rail was asked to develop a solution that could offer the same downtown Sydney enabling residents to live and work side infrastructure experts, high performance as the current system but was lighter, more by side with the transport system. This offers customers insight into their metro and encouraging customers to ergonomic and quicker to install. underground tracks that can be used to prevent collaborate to solve their The Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit project in Malaysia maintenance needs occurring and maximise uptime. problems and work together The priority for Santiago Metro is keeping the city moving, started for Pandrol as a series of site visits to analyse this is increasingly challenging as the city experiences regular the projects varying requirements for noise and vibration The following metro feature looks at recent projects that from design through to disruptions to service following earthquakes. Pandrol worked isolation. Pandrol’s technical team worked in collaboration Pandrol has delivered globally. Each project presented installation and beyond. in partnership to develop a value engineered solution that with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to design, test and unique product and environmental requirements that the Thomas Lorent Head of Transit could offer reliability in extreme conditions. deliver products with a comprehensive package of Pandrol team, in collaboration with their customers, technical support that included working with local teams worked to meet. on track during construction to ensure best practice. pandrol.com Urban transit Barcelona The fact that Pandrol’s VIPA DFC was Pandrol makes light work of delivered to track side fully assembled made installation very efficient. Line 5 for Barcelona Metro Head of New Product Development New lightweight concrete block John Porrill The Barcelona Metro is an extensive network of 12 lines, installed with VIPA fastening “ which run mostly underground in central Barcelona and out into the city’s suburbs. Pandrol first worked with Metro Barcelona in 1997to supply precast Floating Slab Track along a 14 km stretch where specific noise and vibration requirements had to be met. Lightweight concrete block delivered pre-assembled Completed installation for Barcelona Metro In total, Barcelona Metro has now worked with Pandrol THE CHALLENGE INSTALLATION of technical support and assistance during the installation. for over 20 years because of the proven performance Pandrol also worked closely with the Polytechnic University of its track fastening systems and the ongoing technical of Catalonia to complete the block design calculations. Barcelona Metro was one of the first to benefit from a new Line 5 project demonstrated the methodology of installation and site support that it provides. As part of a collaborative Pandrol fastening system during refurbishment of Line 5 of the new lightweight concrete block system in combination approach, both organisations work closely on new As a result of the successful delivery of this project, the in 2017. The line required a retrofit to replace the existing with the VIPA DFC fastening. Each block was placed into the product developments, with a strong focus on safety Pandrol New Product Development team is now working on booted sleeper blocks, because these had reached the empty pocket, the existing rails were lowered, and the Pandrol and efficiency of installation. developments that enable even quicker installation on track. end of their service life and were no longer performing as Fastclips were switched from the parked to the installed This is of particular interest to Barcelona Metro. Barcelona Metro has an ongoing programme of designed. The old sleeper blocks had also experienced position using hand tools. Even with the pre-assembled VIPA maintenance and improvement on its 120 km of track. corrosion problems in the tie bar. DFC fastenings already fitted to them, the new blocks were Further installations of the VIPA DFC system are planned. Key areas of focus for Barcelona Metro are extending light and safe enough to be handled by one person. This In particular, it will be used in the tunnel sections on the Pandrol supplied its new light weight block solution to responsive maintenance intervals and making further new low stiffness system provided an innovative solution for new Follobanen line in Norway. replace old booted sleeper blocks. The existing twin block improvements to noise and vibration levels within the large Barcelona Metro. system was first to be removed, leaving pockets in the city area covered by its network. So work encompasses slab. The new system would have to be installed into these The lightweight concrete blocks were delivered to the the replacement of track and sleepers that have reached pockets and would need to provide a stiffness similar to worksite fully pre-assembled. The block is of the minimum the end of their service life, and in areas where an the performance of new booted sleepers. The concept was size required to support and anchor the fastening assembly Increasing welding improvement in performance is now required – for that in the new system, the required resilience would be system, allowing it to be easily manipulated into position example to reduce ground vibration. Safety is the main productivity provided above two individual blocks, rather than through and attached to the rail prior to final adjustment and fixing. priority for the company. a direct replacement for the boots that surround and Reinforcement and anchor elements protrude from the Pandrol also supplied the innovative One-Shot crucible and induced air plus propane preheat, to support each end of the old twin-block sleepers. This puts underside of the block and are designed to tie it into concrete support the Spanish PLR welding process used on the resilient elements where they are easier to inspect and poured into the pocket around it to form the completed slab. Barcelona Metro. maintain. The new individual blocks are smaller and easier The contractors carried out the fine track alignment before The VIPA DFC system is light enough to be to handle and can be rigidly grouted into place. pouring the concrete to complete the installation. This solution both increases levels of productivity and reduces the possibility of errors in the welding handled by one person, which, combined The Pandrol VIPA DFC fastening system, designed Aided by pre-assembly off-site, the installation was simple works due to the very simple preheating system which minimises the possibility of human error. with its ability to fit in the existing slab cavities, specifically for use on slab track, was selected. It is light in and efficient, allowing the contractor to recover time lost made it a very cost effective solution. weight and has a small footprint that fits easily onto the new on other sections of the job. Pandrol worked with the welding contractor to ensure block. In total, 400 assemblies were supplied on this project. supplies were delivered practically “just in time” as Throughout the project there was ongoing collaborative it is very difficult for the welding team to store the from Barcelona Metro The Pandrol VIPA DFC System is optimised for use in pre- “ working between the Pandrol New Product Development team materials on site. cast blocks, sleepers and slabs. It offers a cost effective, high performance solution for track where vibration ground based in the UK and the local technical and customer liaison borne noise mitigation is required.