What types of Rail Pads are there?

 

Common types of rail pads include rubber, EVA, and HDPE pads, which can be either high-elastic and grooved or smooth. Other types include composite pads and specialized products like under sleeper pads (USPs) and ballast mats that are installed at different interfaces in the track structure.

 

 

Material-based types

 

Rubber Rail Pads: Often made from elastomers, these are a classic resilient pad type used for individual or continuous support under crane rails.

 

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

 

EVA Rail Pads: These pads are made from ethylene-vinyl acetate and are known for their elasticity.

 

EVA: Polyethylene 80%, Vinyl Acetate 20%.
Technical Parameter	Unit	Technical Requirement	Value
Density	g/cm3	0.95-0.98	0.95
Tensile Strength	Mpa	≥15	16
Elongation	%	>500	550
Melting Point	℃	170-190	170
Insulation Resistance	Ω	≥1×1010	5.0 ×1010
Hardness	A	≥90	92(A)

 

HDPE Rail Pads: High-density polyethylene is used in these pads, offering a balance of high elasticity and durability.

 

HDPE Rail Pad
Technical Parameter	Unit	Technical Requirement	Value
Density	g/cm3	0.95-0.98	0.95
Tensile Strength	Mpa	≥19	19
Elongation	%	>80	150
Melting Point	℃	170-190	190
Insulation Resistance	Ω	≥1×1010	3.5 ×1010
Hardness	A	≥98	98(A)

 

Composite Rail Pads: These pads combine different materials to engineer specific performance traits, such as strength, flexibility, and environmental resistance.

 

Design-based types

 

• Grooved Rail Pads: These have a grooved surface that helps control rail bending stresses by providing a non-linear load deflection characteristic.

 

• Smooth Rail Pads: The opposite of grooved pads, these are also available depending on the application and customer requirements.

 

• Studded Rail Pads: These have a studded surface for specific functional purposes.

 

 

Application-based types

 

• Rail Pads (RPs): Installed between the rail and the sleeper.

 

• Under Sleeper Pads (USPs): Placed at the interface between the sleeper and the ballast.

 

• Under Ballast Mats (UBMs): Laid below the ballast layer, at the interface between the ballast and the sub-grade.

 

• Baseplates (or sole plates): While not a flexible pad, these are flat plates that sit between the tie plate and the crosstie to distribute weight and are sometimes referred to as a type of sole pad.

 

 

As a professional rubber rail pad manufacturer GNEE RAIL can produce various standards of rubber rail pads and other rail fasteners. If you want to build a railway line, do not hesitate to contact us, we can supply all types of rubber rail pads with different materials. If necessary, we can make customized rubber rail pad production.

 

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