Why is rubber used to manufacture Rail Pads?
Rubber is chosen as the core manufacturing material for rail pads due to its unique physicochemical properties. From a materials science perspective, rubber's polymer chain structure delivers three key characteristics:
- firstly, cross-linked polymer networks can absorb up to 35% of impact energy through reversible deformation, converting instantaneous wheel-rail impacts into sustained release;
- secondly, viscoelastic properties maintain stable damping within the 0.1-100Hz frequency range, effectively suppressing rail resonance;
- finally, carbon black reinforcement systems enable compressive strength exceeding 18MPa while maintaining over 400% elongation at break.
| Rubber Rail Pad | ||
| Technical Parameter | Unit | Value |
| Stiffness | KN | 90-130 |
| Hardness Shore A | ℃ | 72-80 degree |
| Electronic Resistance | Ω | ≥ 106 |
| Tensile Strength before Aging | Mpa | ≥12.5 |
| Elongation before Aging | % | ≥250 |
In engineering applications, rubber demonstrates exceptional environmental adaptability: its glass transition temperature can be adjusted to -55°C, preventing brittle fracture in cold regions; thermo-oxidative aging protection systems extend service life to 15 years; volume resistivity remains stable above 10^6 Ω·m, perfectly meeting insulation requirements for electrified railways.
Compared to engineering plastics, rubber's creep recovery rate is 200% higher, continuously compensating for pressure decay caused by bolt loosening. The unique molecular chain segment movement mechanism also absorbs high-frequency vibrations from rail surface irregularities, reducing track structure noise by 12-15 decibels at the source.
As a professional rail fastener manufacturer, GNEE RAIL can produce various types of rubber rail pads with different materials, such as natural rubber, EVA, HDPE and so on. Our EVA/HDPE/rubber rail pads are with high elasticity, applying to types for rails such as rail UIC54, UIC60, BS80lbs,BS100lbs, and sizes as ordered. The pads can be customized with or without grooves, in various possible designs, depending on customers' requirements.
