The track system traditionally used in tramway track design is 59Ri2. Due to technical
progress, the rigidity of modern flexible track structures has become sufficiently
rigid and durable, and as a result, track systems with much lower inertia, such as
Ts52, have also appeared. The use of the 59Ri2 rail system continues to dominate in
embedded rail structures, which is not only statically oversized, but also significantly
increases the amount of pouring material used, considering that both rail systems
are suitable to carry road rail loads and their service life is considered similar
(same wear allowed). This is not only an economic issue, but also a manufacturing
and logistical one. Due to the scarcity of resources, a greater length of track can
be built at unit cost by minimising the use of materials, and the amount of pouring
material available on the market has been periodically limited in recent years. In
this article, we use the side results of our previous finite element models to show
the impact of track system dimensions on the amount of pouring material, and also
detail the extent of material savings with PVC pipes and concrete material saving
blocks.
