Grout Transportation Infrastructure

In railway track work, there is growing demand for fast night repair and quick return to service. Often, there are short windows of time at night when rail tracks can be shut down for maintenance. Typical rail fixing products need a longer hardening time than this closure allows. How can you speed up the curing time of polyurethane rail fixing grouts to have rail tracks operating again quickly?

Get Rail Tracks Back in Service Fast

With Curing-by-Design technology, Sika® Icosit® KC-350 rail fixing systems can be applied and back in service very quickly.

It enables a paradigm shift in rail fixing grouts - standard maintenance work times can be followed by extremely fast curing.  

Shorter
curing time - saves track closure time due to high early trafficability*
Reduced
maintenance costs thanks to longer durability of product*
Longer
open time - more time to apply the product more easily and safely*
Saves
money
due to longer usage time of tracks and safer application*
Ready to be dynamically loaded
6x faster
after application*
Successful history of in-field service for over
50 years

*compared to standard, two-component polyurethane grouts

An Innovative Technology - Curing-by-Design

In railway track work, there is growing demand for fast night repair and quick return to service. To meet these requirements, previously-used two-component polyurethane products require specific work methods (additional equipment or tools) related to track renovation. They need a longer hardening time compared to the length of night breaks provided for maintenance work and time that is needed for the application and hardening of the material.

This issue can only be solved by smart chemical formulations powered by Curing-by-Design technology. Sika® Icosit® KC-350/45 and  Sika® Icosit® KC-350/65 are both elastic rail fixing grouts which have been designed with this technology.

Sika® Icosit® KC-350 PU Grout Versus Standard Two-Component PU Grout Curing Time
Sika® Icosit® PU grout Curing-by-Design graph strength build up vs time compared to standard 2c polyurethane grout

Longer Open Time, Faster Curing Time

The innovative Curing-by-Design technology enables the adaption of application time and curing time to achieve the highest project process efficiency. It prolongs the open time for application and speeds up curing time once applied.

The adapted installation process makes the working time more effective. The longer open time ensures greater safety of the application, while at the same time unproductive product-curing waiting time can be minimized or even avoided.

See below an example of a timeline with the new Sika® Icosit® KC-350 Curing-by-Design versus the previous products.

Worker man pouring rail fixing grout into track

Sika® Icosit® KC-350 Versus Previous Product

Open Time - Optimal Workability
Bar chart comparing optimal workability open time of Sika® Icosit® KC-350 vs old product Icosit® KC-340
Curing Time - Faster Return to Service
Bar chart comparing curing time of Sika® Icosit® KC-350 vs old product Icosit® KC-340

For Which Projects Is Curing-by-Design Technology the Best Solution?

These applications are ideal for Curing-by-Design technology in polyurethane grouts.

Workers at night installing tram rail tracks in street with Sika truck

For tracks which need to be refurbished during one night shift, which could be sped up by using machine application

Workers installing rail fixing grout by hand in train tram tracks

For time-critical track projects with closing time that should be as short as possible

Any project which needs to be finished quickly, to prevent interruption of other parts of the traffic network

Secure, Flexible Application Plus Easy Handling

Hand-applied

Workers installing rail fixing grout by hand in train tram tracks

Sika® Icosit® KC-350 can be applied manually or by machine.
In many cases, these two installation methods are combined.
The combined installation capacity is approximately 500 kg/h.

Machine-applied

Worker installing rail fixing grout by machine in tram track street in city

Advantages of machine application:

  • Faster speed
  • Improved, leaner logistics - 180 kg barrels are used instead of 10 kg containers
  • Less effort for employees
  • Better protection of the environment
  • Higher potting rates are possible - carrying out larger projects in only one night is no problem

Where Can It Be Applied

Powered by the Curing-by-Design technology, Sika® Icosit® KC-350/45 and Sika® Icosit® KC-350/65 are both two-component, polyurethane grouts for fixation in ballastless rail tracks.

Sika® Icosit® KC-350 products can be applied by hand or machine. They are intended as vibration-damping, load-bearing, flexible materials for fixing grooved or T-rails in ballastless slab tracks on steel or concrete substrates in tram, metro and railway tracks, applied on bridges, in tunnels or in the road.

Benefits of Sika® Icosit® KC-350 at a Glance

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Curing-by-design for fast back-to-service times
How So?
  • Product open time is prolonged to allow easier application and enough time for a safe, effective installation
  • Product cure time is sped up by six times, which shortens track closure
  • Easy handling and safe application with ready-to-use packaging for further time savings
Black vector icon tram train vibration rail tracks making sound
Helps improve urban human life quality
Tell Me More
  • Noise and vibration reduction with dampening and vibration mitigation properties
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High performance features solve technical problems
How Can It Be?
  • Good electrical insulation against stray currents
  • Watertight rail fixation, insensitive to moisture during application
  • More uniform load distribution into substrate
  • Flexible, elastic (Hardness shore A: 50 – 70 depending on the product)
  • Excellent adhesion on various substrates
  • Dimensions tolerance-compensating (layer thickness can vary between 15 – 60 mm)
  • Suitable as a powerful, shear-resistant adhesive
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High quality product for longevity
Why Is It?
  • Long durability, less maintenance
  • Absorbs dynamic stresses, so it prolongs the life of the tracks and superstructures