Cut Rail Maintenance Budgets and Decrease Track Outages with Tensar Geogrid
by Don Herbert, on June 13, 2023
Since track maintenance is a significant and ongoing expense, it makes sense to use solutions proven to extend the service life of tracks, diamonds and other critical rail structures. With Tensar geogrid technology, owners can expect fewer slow orders, increased safety, and extend the service life of their rail components well into the future.
Tensar geogrids enhance the performance of ballast and sub-ballast by interlocking unbound materials. As the granular material strikes through the geogrid openings it becomes laterally restrained and obtains a higher degree of confinement. This stiffer, stabilized layer resists rutting, improves bearing capacity. and increases traffic capacity. Geogrid stabilized layers extend the period between maintenance operations by a factor of three to five times. Finally, in reducing the deflection of the trackbed during loading, Tensar geogrids extend the life of mechanical track components including rails, ties, and insulated joints.
How Do Geogrids Work?
Tensar geogrids enhance the performance of ballast and sub-ballast by interlocking unbound materials. As the granular material strikes through the geogrid openings it becomes laterally restrained and obtains a higher degree of confinement. This stiffer, stabilized layer resists rutting, improves bearing capacity. and increases traffic capacity. Geogrid stabilized layers extend the period between maintenance operations by a factor of three to five times. Finally, in reducing the deflection of the trackbed during loading, Tensar geogrids extend the life of mechanical track components including rails, ties, and insulated joints.
Less Downtime with Fast Installation
Fast and easy installation means that track outages are much shorter and remediation is immediate with Tensar
geogrid. We can also work with your local maintenance staff to ensure the geogrid is installed properly. Once the grid has been installed, the crew can tamp without risk of damaging the grid.
geogrid. We can also work with your local maintenance staff to ensure the geogrid is installed properly. Once the grid has been installed, the crew can tamp without risk of damaging the grid.Project Success: Norfolk Southern
Diamond Maintenance
Over the course of 2022, Norfolk Southern was experiencing mud pumping at several diamonds located near the Chicago area. The maintenance team turned to Tensar for a solution to remediate the these structures and prevent future pumping and settlement at the sites. Tensar FilterGrid, a composite that combines our high-performance geogrid with a non-woven geotextile, was chosen for ballast stabilization and for its separation abilities.
