Recycled plastic socks are being laid out in Chelyabinsk.
In Chelyabinsk, Russia, an experiment is underway to incorporate innovative materials in road construction. The trial involves the use of railway ties created from recycled plastic on an overpass at Cherkasskaya Street's Pershino ring. This is the first reported instance of such a trial in the city, as announced by the "Transport of Chelyabinsk Agglomeration" Telegram channel.
Workers are installing a grid of plastic railway ties, affixed with special screws. According to Alexander Egorov, Deputy Minister of Road and Transport in the Chelyabinsk Region, this application is an experiment. Concrete ties have predominantly been utilized during major road repairs for the past four years due to cost-effectiveness. The plastic ties are manufactured in Kaluga, with a branch of the company situated in Yekaterinburg.
"We'll observe how they perform on the Pershino bridge first, and then determine their future use," stated Alexander Egorov.
Composite ties present a contemporary alternative to traditional wooden and reinforced concrete railway ties. They are manufactured from secondary plastic (including bottles and film) combined with mineral fillers to increase their strength. Their lifespan exceeds 50 years, and they can be recycled after use. Advantages include eco-friendliness, resistance to external influences, and electrical insulation properties.
While plastic railway ties have seen global testing and use primarily for rail infrastructure due to their durability and environmental benefits, there is currently no publicly available confirmation of their successful use as a road construction material in Chelyabinsk or elsewhere in Russia.
The experiment in Chelyabinsk, Russia, extends beyond road construction as it also involves the utilization of environmental-science-based materials, specifically plastic railway ties, in the Pershino bridge overhaul. Alexander Egorov, Deputy Minister of Road and Transport in the Chelyabinsk Region, has expressed interest in exploring the potential application of this science and technology in future road projects, should the plastic ties prove effective.
