Composite railway sleeper

Railway sleepers are one of the most important elements of the railway track system. Although timber sleepers are still the most common, use of pre-stressed concrete and steel materials is also increasing. In addition, ties produced using recycled materials are of interest, recently. By recycling plastic waste, considerable amount of money can be kept from ending up in the landfills. As composite ties are strong, durable, and reliable, they require less maintenance and have longer life than common railroad ties. Therefore, they can be an excellent, cost-effective and long-term solution. An overview of on-going research and development on innovative fiber composite railway sleepers with investigation on their advantages and disadvantages are also presented.