An innovation in the world of rail, but mainly a minor revolution for the environment !

Infrabel is the first European rail infrastructure manager to make its network’s sleepers ‘green’. Cement, from which sleepers are traditionally made, is gradually giving way to a revolutionary concrete based on sulphur. The first new sleepers were laid between Puurs and Antwerp earlier this year.

Up to 40% fewer CO₂ emissions

The new ‘green’ sleepers are no longer made from cement, but use sulphur as a binding agent. The difference in production? You need a temperature of 1,400°C to make cement. With sulphur concrete, 140°C is enough to shape the sleeper. Besides that, making cement releases a great deal of CO₂ as well. In the new production process, the CO₂ emissions come to 40% less in total! So in practice, we are going from 75kg to 45kg of CO₂ per sleeper. On a yearly basis, this difference amounts to the equivalent of the annual CO₂ production of no less than 100 households.

Recycled and recyclable

Sulphur concrete also happens to be fully recyclable, as opposed to the concrete and ‘historical’ wooden sleepers. Sleepers made from sulphur concrete that have reached the end of their lifespan or get damaged over time can be melted down into new sleepers. Moreover, this material makes it possible to recycle sulphur, a waste product from the oil industry.

Without compromising on quality

Anyone who thinks these sleepers would have a shorter lifespan is mistaken. On the contrary! A range of tests have shown that sulphur concrete is just as capable of withstanding the high dynamic load from the trains as traditional concrete. Finally, sulphur concrete is also less sensitive to infiltration (by e.g. water) than traditional concrete. This also makes it more resistant to chemical corrosion and wear.

In short, this new type of sleeper is not only more durable, but also a great piece of innovation! A great many European rail infrastructure managers have already shown an interest in this innovative technology, but Infrabel is the first to use it on a large scale.