XiTRACK™ GeoComposite Technology

The patented ‘XiTRACK’ Technique has been specifically developed to meet the demands of modern ballasted track with increasing train axle weight, line-speed and track usage coupled with reduced maintenance schedules.

XiTRACK can be used as a maintenance tool or during renewal to reduce track alignment problems which usually result in degraded ballast.  Ballast performance is restored in a single treatment.

The XiTRACK Technique is fully designed and uses dynamic track measurement techniques and state-of-the-art predictive computer modelling simulation to simulate track behaviour of freight and passenger trains before and after treatment.

XiTRACK offers a cost-effective solution for high-abuse, high-maintenance track structures leaving track that is safer, more comfortable, and accessible at design speeds and loadings; it is applied with the minimum of disruption.

One of the most difficult challenges facing the railway track engineer is the continuing problem posed by persistent track faults at highly loaded track components and at weak formations.  These recurrent faults can generate significant delays to the network through Temporary Speed Restrictions and it is well known that they return soon after maintenance procedures and after a general track renewal.  Large-scale civil engineering solutions often pose significant problems themselves, requiring a considerable amount of track downtime for the work and may generate undesirable fundamental changes to the dynamic behaviour of the track.  They are also very expensive to implement.

Over a period of nine years XiTRACK™ was developed to solve these long standing issues, and hence provide a significant improvement in network running efficiency, using a process that quickly reinforces and stabilises the track, but still allows all conventional maintenance procedures to take place.

Geotechnical engineering experts 2Ei Ltd and specialist polymer formulator Dow Hyperlast (formerly Hyperlast Ltd) formed XiTRACK Ltd and have been working with leading contractors to develop opportunities for the technology.

XiTRACK is a method of reinforcing and stabilising railway track using advanced polymer-based technology.  Through special mixing equipment, a two component rapidly-reacting polymer is applied in a controlled distribution to the ballast geo-matrix.  As the polymer penetrates the ballast it forms a 3-Dimensional reinforcing cage, or GeoComposite, which allows the track to move in a designed manner. The GeoComposite permits the discrete nature of the ballast particles to be transformed into a highly resilient continuous flexible geo-pavement providing increased horizontal and vertical track stability. 

Flexibility and ductility in the track are maintained by the visco-elastic nature of the XiTRACK range of polymers.  The engineering properties of the polymer are fully designable which allows differing levels of support strength, stiffness and damping to be achieved in the GeoComposite to ensure that the track retains desirable energy absorption properties.  The polymer application is controlled in a designed way by the polymer properties, loading pattern and distribution on track.  The XiTRACK Polymers are rapid-curing and treatment is usually complete within a few hours and track can usually be re-opened at line-speed.  The process still allows conventional methods of track maintenance to be used post-treatment (should the need arise) and drainage within the track is still fully maintained. 

In order to derive holistic solutions and predict the behaviour of system post-treatment to ensure dynamic compliance, XiTRACK is underpinned by some of the most advanced computational methods currently available to model and analyse track behaviour.  These methods are calibrated through on-site data acquisition systems that are used as input into the design process for polymer application and for post-treatment verification.

XiTRACK Limited reserves any and all property rights it has or may have with respect to the information contained herein, which may include patent rights and copyright as well as other rights.  Neither the information itself nor its disclosure hereunder shall be construed as establishing, either expressly or by implication, any grant of rights or licences to any property rights.  The information shall be used only for the purposes for which it is furnished hereunder.

XiTRACK Limited is Link-up Registered, Number 20893.