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Report Title: Sustainable Perspective of Bamboo Railway Ties

Student Nam: Gerardo Anaya Solano

Student # 11779

Instructor Name: Adam Holland

Course Name: Building Construction

Date: 02/0/2024
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1: INDICE

1: INDICE...................................................................................................................................... 2
2: ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................. 3
2. HISTORY ................................................................................................................................... 4
3. RAILWAY WOOD TIES ................................................................................................................ 5
4. BAMBOO TIES SUSTENTABLE ..................................................................................................... 6
4.1 The bamboo ties process ..................................................................................................... 6
5. BAMBOO TIES PROPIERITIES ...................................................................................................... 7
5.1 Versatility and Durability ..................................................................................................... 7
5.2 Mechanical Properties ........................................................................................................ 8
5.3 Results bamboo tie .............................................................................................................. 8
5.4 Disadventages..................................................................................................................... 9
6. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 10
7. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 10
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2: ABSTRACT

The railway industry heavily relies on wooden ties as a critical asset, second in cost only to
the rails themselves. For decades, the versatility, strength, and durability of wooden ties have
made them the predominant choice in railroads. However, the demand for these ties in North
America consistently exceeds six digits annually, driven not only by the expansion of railway
lines but also by the ongoing maintenance of existing tracks. The Railway Tie Association (RTA)
forecasts a substantial purchase of 18,669 million new wooden ties in 2022, with 14,230
million designated for Class I railways and 4,439 million for smaller markets—an increase of
1.9% from 2021. [1]

Despite their prevalence, the wooden tie industry faces challenges, particularly regarding
deforestation. New laws are targeting the industry, seeking to significantly reduce the
production of wooden ties. An intriguing statistic reveals that approximately 21 million
wooden railroad ties retire annually in the United States, with many being burned for energy
or recycled for gardening. However, changes in environmental regulations and the cost-
effectiveness of natural gas have led to an uptick in ties being discarded in landfills.

In response to these challenges, the railway industry is actively exploring alternatives to

mitigate deforestation and pollution associated with the end-of-life disposal of wooden ties.
One promising solution is bamboo, proposed as a viable and eco-friendly substitute for wood.
As the industry grapples with sustainability concerns, the exploration of such alternatives
becomes crucial in shaping the future of railway tie materials. For a more detailed
understanding of the benefits of recycling railroad ties, refer to the provided source

(1) Chemical & Engineering News. https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/i38/Recycling-railroad-ties-comes-

benefits.html
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2. HISTORY

Canada boasts a substantial and well-developed railway system spanning 49,422 kilometers,
with only 129 kilometers electrified, primarily part of urban rail transit networks. The standard
gauge of 1,435 mm is predominantly used, except for short line railways in resource industries
like mining and forestry. The rail transport industry is a crucial component of Canada's
transportation system, generating around $10 billion annually, with 95% of revenues coming
from rail freight operations.

The Canadian Rail Network, comprising 45,199 route kilometers, is primarily utilized for
freight transportation, owned by CN (49.1%), CPKC (25.6%), and other railways (25.3%). Over
the past decade, 2,600 km of track were abandoned, and 845 km were transferred, mostly to
new short line operators. Major publicly traded freight railways include Canadian National
and Canadian Pacific Kansas City. Passenger services are provided by Via Rail, Réseau de
transport métropolitain, GO Transit, and West Coast Express.

CN and CPKC, both Class I railways, dominate freight rail operations, accounting for over 95%
of Canada's annual rail tonne-kilometres. CN spans Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific
and links to the Gulf of Mexico. CPKC operates 22,500 route kilometers and generates nearly
$4 billion in annual revenues in Canada. VIA Rail Canada is the major intercity passenger
service operator, with an annual ridership of 80 million passengers.

Intercity passenger rail traffic totaled 4.5 million passengers in 2009, with VIA Rail being a
prominent operator. Tourism rail services, such as Rocky Mountaineer, offer scenic tours. The
rail industry is highly integrated in North America, with short-line railways playing a vital role
in feeding traffic to mainline railways. The Canadian railway supply sector, represented by the
Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers (CARS), has a significant economic impact,
generating $9 billion annually, with domestic sales of $4 billion and export sales of $5 billion.
The sector is characterized by both historical traditions and a focus on innovation and
efficiency. [2]

(2) Railway Association of Canada. (n.d.). How Canada’s Railways Are Moving the Circular Economy
Forward.https://www.railcan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Circular-Economy NP_proof_RAC.pdf
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3. RAILWAY WOOD TIES

The Railway Tie Association (RTA) anticipates a significant purchase of 18,669 million new
wooden ties in 2022, with 14,230 million for Class I railways and 4,439 million for smaller
markets, reflecting a 1.9% increase from 2021. See the image 1 [3]

Image 1. Number of ties needed in North America

(3)Transparency Market Research. (n.d.). North America Railroad Tie Market.

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/north-america-railroad-tie-market.html
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4. BAMBOO TIES SUSTENTABLE

the railroad track industry with the development of a patent-approved process which
densifies bamboo to provide an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional wood
or concrete railroad ties. Because of its fast growth, distinctive mechanical properties, and
transformation process, bamboo is stronger, more durable, longer lasting, and more
environmentally-friendly than wood ties. [4]

4.1 The bamboo ties process

The flow 1 below shown shows the general manufacturing process until the finished product.

Flow 1. Bamboo tie Process

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5. BAMBOO TIES PROPIERITIES

5.1 Versatility and Durability

Bamboo exhibits remarkable versatility and durability, making it an attractive material for
various applications [5]. Bamboo can be utilized in construction for a wide range of
applications, including structural elements, flooring, walls, roofs, and even entire buildings.
Bamboo can also be utilized as a biomass fuel source, providing renewable energy in the form
of heat and electricity

In the railway industry, after the rails, the most expensive asset of a railroad is the railroad
tie, and for decades, the wooden tie has been the most widely used due to its versatility,
strength, and durability.

In other hand possesses inherent flexibility, allowing it to withstand bending and vibrations
without breaking [6]. This flexibility helps it resist damage from wind, earthquakes, or other
external forces [7]. Bamboo has natural resistance to water, making it less prone to rot or
decay

The versatility and durability of bamboo products are two of the features needed for railway
sleeper manufacturing.

(5) Chaturvedi, K.; Singhwane, A.; Dhangar, M.; Mili, M.; Gorhae, N.; Naik, A.; Prashant, N.; Srivastava, A.; Verma,
S. Bamboo for producing charcoal and biochar for versatile applications. Biomass Convers. Biorefinery 2023, 1 –
27. [CrossRef] (6) Han, S.; Chen, F.; Ye, H.; Zheng, Z.; Chen, L.; Wang, G. Bamboo-Inspired Renewable, High-
Strength, Vibration-Damping Composites for Structural Applications. ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2023, 11, 1146 –
1156. [CrossRef] (7) Kumar, D.; Mandal, A. Review on manufacturing and fundamental aspects of laminate d
bamboo products for structural applications. Constr. Build. Mater. 2022, 348, 128691. [CrossRef]
(8). Li, Z.; Xia, M.K.; Shi, J.J.;Wang, R. Shear properties of composite cross-laminated bamboo panels. Eur. J. Wood
Wood Prod. 2022, 80, 635–646. [CrossRef]
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5.2 Mechanical Properties

Table 1 [7 and 8] shows that each bamboo product has mechanical properties suitable for
being used in construction. However, a wide range of differences in the mechanical properties
of bamboo can be seen in this table. Among all listed bamboo products, bamboo scrimber
shows the highest mechanical properties, higher than wood.

Table 1. Mechanical properties of different bamboo products.

5.3 Results bamboo tie

Developed a composite railway sleeper using a combination of wood and bamboo (Figure 2).
Through their study, they found that by using a resin content of 15.5%, targeting a density of
0.8 g/cm3 , applying a hot-pressing time of 0.65 min/mm, and setting a hot-pressing
temperature of 170 °C, an optimal modulus of rupture value of 70.08 MPa was achieved. [9]

Figure 2: cross-section of a real composite sleeper

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So far, the application of bamboo to construct railway sleepers has been studied [10]. This
type of sleeper can be an alternative to timber railway sleepers. Xiao et al. [11] studied the
manufacturing process of a wood–bamboo hybrid composite sleeper. Three parameters,
including resin content, density, and hot-press time of the sleeper manufacturing process, are
defined, and their relationship with the modulus of elasticity (MOE) is assessed. Results
showed that more resin in bamboo composite sleepers increases MOE, while more density
than 0.8 g/cm3 decreases sleeper MOE. Longer hot-press times slightly decrease MOE.

5.4 Disadventages

One notable drawback is its light weight, which can lead to Infrastructures reduced lateral
resistance [12]. This can potentially affect the stability and integrity of the railway track,
especially under heavy loads or during high-speed train operations. Also Another concern
related to bamboo sleepers is their durability, particularly in regions with variable weathering
action

(10) Han, S.; Chen, F.; Yu, Y.; Zheng, Z.; Chen, L.; Wang, G. Bamboo-Inspired Renewable, Lightweight, and
Vibration-Damping Laminated Structural Materials for the Floor of a Railroad Car. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces
2022, 14, 42645–42655. [CrossRef]
(11) Xiao, S.; Lin, H.; Shi, S.Q.; Cai, L. Optimum processing parameters for wood-bamboo hybrid composite
sleepers. J. Reinf. Plast. Compos. 2014, 33, 2010–2018. [CrossRef]
(12) Guo, Y.; Fu, H.; Qian, Y.; Markine, V.; Jing, G. Effect of sleeper bottom texture on lateral resistance with
discrete element modelling. Constr. Build. Mater. 2020, 250, 118770. [CrossRef]
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6. CONCLUSION

Undoubtedly, the railway industry will continue to demand an enormous quantity of wooden sleepers,
regardless of the environmental cost. However, the use of bamboo as a substitute for wooden sleepers
is still in the design phase. Despite notable disadvantages and being a more sustainable material
compared to wood and concrete, we will need more time to improve manufacturing techniques and
develop the industrial capacity for mass production of bamboo sleepers.

7. REFERENCES

(1) Chemical & Engineering News. https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/i38/Recycling-railroad-ties-comes-

benefits.html

(2) Railway Association of Canada. (n.d.). How Canada’s Railways Are Moving the Circular Economy
Forward.https://www.railcan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Circular-Economy NP_proof_RAC.pdf

(3)Transparency Market Research. (n.d.). North America Railroad Tie Market.

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/north-america-railroad-tie-market.html

(4) BAMBOO - RAILROAD TIES FOR THE FUTURE [https://tiebam.com/index.html]

(5) Chaturvedi, K.; Singhwane, A.; Dhangar, M.; Mili, M.; Gorhae, N.; Naik, A.; Prashant, N.; Srivastava,
A.; Verma, S. Bamboo for producing charcoal and biochar for versatile applications. Biomass Convers.
Biorefinery 2023, 1–27. [CrossRef]

(6) Han, S.; Chen, F.; Ye, H.; Zheng, Z.; Chen, L.; Wang, G. Bamboo-Inspired Renewable, High-Strength,
Vibration-Damping Composites for Structural Applications. ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2023, 11, 1146–
1156. [CrossRef]

(7) Kumar, D.; Mandal, A. Review on manufacturing and fundamental aspects of laminated bamboo
products for structural applications. Constr. Build. Mater. 2022, 348, 128691. [CrossRef]

(8). Li, Z.; Xia, M.K.; Shi, J.J.;Wang, R. Shear properties of composite cross-laminated bamboo panels.
Eur. J. Wood Wood Prod. 2022, 80, 635–646. [CrossRef]

(9) Wang, Z.; Li, H.; Yang, D.; Xiong, Z.; Sayed, U.; Lorenzo, R.; Corbi, I.; Corbi, O.; Hong, C. Bamboo
node effect on the tensile properties of side press-laminated bamboo lumber. Wood Sci. Technol.
2021, 55, 195–214. [CrossRef]

(10) Han, S.; Chen, F.; Yu, Y.; Zheng, Z.; Chen, L.; Wang, G. Bamboo-Inspired Renewable, Lightweight,
and Vibration-Damping Laminated Structural Materials for the Floor of a Railroad Car. ACS Appl.
Mater. Interfaces 2022, 14, 42645–42655. [CrossRef]

(11) Xiao, S.; Lin, H.; Shi, S.Q.; Cai, L. Optimum processing parameters for wood-bamboo hybrid
composite sleepers. J. Reinf. Plast. Compos. 2014, 33, 2010–2018. [CrossRef]
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(12) Guo, Y.; Fu, H.; Qian, Y.; Markine, V.; Jing, G. Effect of sleeper bottom texture on lateral resistance
with discrete element modelling. Constr. Build. Mater. 2020, 250, 118770. [CrossRef]