Thiotrack - Circular Concrete Sleepers - No Cement and no water - Low CO2 - 100% Recyclable

Thiotrack’s sulfur concrete railway sleepers are setting a new standard in sustainable infrastructure for the rail industry. Leveraging an innovative sulfur-based concrete, these sleepers offer a high-performance, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cement-based materials. Sulfur concrete sleepers have been installed across Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and even Australia, demonstrating impressive durability, with some sleepers performing exceptionally well even after a decade in service.

Sustainable Sleepers

·        A key advantage of Thiotrack's sulfur concrete is its minimal carbon footprint. Unlike cement, which generates significant CO₂ emissions during production, sulfur concrete eliminates cement entirely, resulting in a substantial reduction in emissions.

·        Thiotrack’s sulfur sleepers are also fully recyclable: old sleepers can be melted down and reshaped into new ones without any loss in quality. This circularity contrasts sharply with traditional concrete, which often deteriorates and can only be reused for lower-grade applications. Sulfur concrete sleepers, in contrast, can be recycled indefinitely, supporting a sustainable lifecycle for rail infrastructure.

Proven Technical Performance

Beyond environmental benefits, sulfur concrete also excels in technical performance. Thiotrack’s sleepers have higher compressive and tensile strength than standard cement concrete sleepers, lower creep, better thermal conductivity, and significantly lower water absorption. These properties make them exceptionally resilient to weather and other environmental stresses. Additionally, sulfur concrete offers strong fire resistance, meeting stringent safety standards and enhancing its suitability for demanding rail applications. 

The sulfur concrete production process is both efficient and innovative. The raw materials, such as sand and gravel, are heated and mixed with liquid sulfur, then cooled in molds to form a solid product. Unlike cement concrete, which requires a lengthy curing period, sulfur concrete solidifies quickly, allowing faster production cycles. Furthermore, this process is entirely reversible, making sulfur concrete a unique material that supports infrastructure with minimal environmental impact.

Thiotrack has conducted rigorous testing to validate sulfur concrete’s performance and durability, collaborating with respected institutions such as Technische Universität München (TUM) and SNCF's testing facilities. These tests confirm that Thiotrack sleepers withstand a wide range of load conditions and environmental factors, proving their reliability for high-performance rail networks.

In addition to sleepers, Thiotrack has developed sulfur concrete counterweights and THIOTUBEs drainage channels. THIOTUBEs are designed for effective water drainage along rail tracks and are already in use across Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Like Thiotrack’s sleepers, THIOTUBEs benefit from sulfur concrete’s durability, recyclability, and minimal environmental impact, providing a robust solution for water management that aligns with sustainability goals.

Conclusion

Thiotrack’s sulfur concrete products offer a well-rounded solution for modern rail infrastructure. By combining durability, environmental sustainability, and efficient production, they provide railway operators with a high-performance, low-impact alternative to cement-based products. This makes them an ideal choice for rail networks looking to meet both operational and sustainability demands.