Innovative platform slab on show at RailTech Europe
Concrete manufacturer De Hamer, a sister organisation of De Meteoor, has developed a new platform slab that is lighter than the maximum weight of 9.5 kilograms for a platform and that can be laid platform by hand. They weigh 1.5 kg less than their predecessor, as recesses have been made on the bottom of the slab. This slab will be on show at De Meteoor’s stand during RailTech Europe.
ProRail asked the market to create a lighter platform slab, and De Hamer has developed a new platform slab that conforms to the Dutch Working Conditions Act (ARBO). This is good news for both construction workers and the environment. The platform slab has already been certified and can now be put to widespread use.
On the top, the new ‘4U slab’ looks the same as a regular platform slab. The dimensions of 30x30x5 have also stayed the same. What is different is the weight, which has been reduced by cutting recesses in the bottom of the slab, in the shape of a waffle.
Durable products
Parent company BTE Group has already developed similarly durable and ARBO-friendly products. Vebo Beton devised a new generation of concrete cable troughs for the rail industry, which are significantly lighter than the old type.
“By keeping the weight of the troughs under fifty kilos, and that of the trough lids under twenty five kilos, they can be carried and put in place by construction workers during installation or maintenance work. The lower weight is a result of the special concrete composition that De Meteoor uses for production”, explains Stefan Schrader, Commercial Manager at De Meteoor.
De Meteoor will have 10 metres of track at its stand at RailTech Europe, allowing it to demonstrate a number of durable products. RailTech Europe is taking place from 26 to 28 March in Jaarbeurs Utrecht.
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