Composite railroad ties and methods of production and uses thereof

• US 9,393,715 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solidia Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solidia Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Krishnan, Jagadeesh, Jain, Jitendra, Ravikumar, Deepak, Patten, Devin, Kuppler, John, Smith, Kenneth, Hu, Xudong
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarry, Jr., R. J.
• Application Number:
  US14/207,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20140263683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 238/29, 238/30, 238/40, 238/45, 238/50, 238 83- 87, 238/91
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/14 by simple casting, the material being neither forcibly fed nor positively compacted for molten material B28B1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 11/24 for curing, setting or hardening processes for influencing or modifying the setting or hardening ability of mortars, concrete or artificial stone compositions, in general C04B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 23/02 wherein the elements are reinforcing members B28B23/0006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/043 Alkaline-earth metal silicates, e.g. wollastonite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1037 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1062 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/107 Acids or salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1074 Silicates, e.g. glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/1077 Cements, e.g. waterglass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/12 Multiple coating or impregnating
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/302 Water reducers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00413 Materials having an inhomogeneous concentration of ingredients or irregular properties in different layers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2647 containing polyether side chains
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/188 the Ca-silicates being present in the starting mixture
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 32/02 with reinforcements contains no documents; reinforcing elements E04C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0231 Carbon dioxide hardening
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/024 Steam hardening, e.g. in an autoclave
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0268 Heating up to sintering temperatures C04B41/0072 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 3/44 made from other materials only if the material is essential
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/18 : Carbon capture and storage [CCS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/60 : Production of ceramic materials or ceramic elements, e.g. substitution of clay or shale by alternative raw materials, e.g. ashes

Abstract

The invention provides novel railroad ties manufactured from novel composite materials that possess excellent physical and performance characteristics matching or exceeding existing concrete RRTs. The RRTs of the invention can be readily produced from widely available, low cost raw materials by a process suitable for large-scale production with improved energy consumption and more desirable carbon footprint and minimal environmental impact.

Claims

1. A railroad tie having an elongated tie body prepared from a composite material comprising:

a plurality of bonding elements, wherein each bonding element comprises;

a core comprising primarily calcium silicate, a silica-rich first or inner layer, and a calcium carbonate-rich second or outer layer; and

filler particles comprising coarse filler particles and/or fine filler particles, wherein the plurality of bonding elements and the plurality of filler particles together form one or more bonding matrices and the bonding elements and the filler particles are substantially evenly dispersed therein and bonded together,

wherein

the composite material is characterized by a density from about 1900 kg/m³ to 2800 kg/m³, a compressive strength from about 40 MPa to about 100 MPa, and a flexural strength from about 4 MPa to about 10 MPa,

the railroad tie is characterized by an improved abrasion resistance over conventional concrete railroad ties and an abrasion index greater than 350 min/inch,

the elongated tie body has one or more longitudinally disposed ducts wherein one or more reinforcement steel bars are placed respectively, and

the steel reinforcement bars interface with the tie body via a protective coating of epoxy or zinc on the steel reinforcement bars.

2. A railroad tie having an elongated tie body prepared from a composite material comprising:

a plurality of bonding elements, wherein each bonding element comprises;

a core comprising primarily calcium silicate, a silica-rich first or inner layer, and a calcium carbonate-rich second or outer layer; and

filler particles comprising coarse filler particles and/or fine filler particles, wherein the plurality of bonding elements and the plurality of filler particles together form one or more bonding matrices and the bonding elements and the filler particles are substantially evenly dispersed therein and bonded together,

wherein

the composite material is characterized by a density from about 1900 kg/m³ to 2800 kg/m³, a compressive strength from about 40 MPa to about 100 MPa, and a flexural strength from about 4 MPa to about 10 MPa,

the railroad tie is characterized by an improved abrasion resistance over conventional concrete railroad ties and an abrasion index greater than 350 min/inch,

the elongated tie body has one or more longitudinally disposed ducts wherein one or more reinforcement steel bars are placed respectively, and

the railroad tie is pre-stressed.

3. A railroad tie having an elongated tie body prepared from a composite material comprising:

a plurality of bonding elements, wherein each bonding element comprises;

a core comprising primarily calcium silicate, a silica-rich first or inner layer, and a calcium carbonate-rich second or outer layer; and

filler particles comprising coarse filler particles and/or fine filler particles, wherein the plurality of bonding elements and the plurality of filler particles together form one or more bonding matrices and the bonding elements and the filler particles are substantially evenly dispersed therein and bonded together,

wherein

the composite material is characterized by a density from about 1900 kg/m³ to 2800 kg/m³, a compressive strength from about 40 MPa to about 100 MPa, and a flexural strength from about 4 MPa to about 10 MPa,

the railroad tie is characterized by an improved abrasion resistance over conventional concrete railroad ties and an abrasion index greater than 350 min/inch,

the elongated tie body has one or more longitudinally disposed ducts wherein one or more reinforcement steel bars are placed respectively, and

the railroad tie is post-tensioned.