Not only durable as a material, but also in terms of application

Compact Eco-rail prevents damage to cables, pipes and tree roots and prevents cutting of trees

During the reconstruction of the provincial road N395, there was a need to improve safety and livability in the surrounding villages. The Province of North Brabant and BAM Infra Nederland are working together to improve the road safety and accessibility of the N395, improve traffic flow, increase greenery and reduce noise in the villages. This is being done in the most sustainable way possible, with plenty of room for innovation. One such innovation is the application of the Compact Eco-rail. Co-developer and manufacturer of the Compact Eco-rail is Saferoad Holland. Herman Odijk, Managing Director, tells more about this solution that contributes to sustainability on several fronts.

Joining forces

Engineering firm Witteveen+Bos has developed the Compact Eco-rail together with construction group BAM Verkeerstechniek and manufacturer Saferoad Holland. Thanks to the special design, cables, pipes and tree roots in the ground are spared. Herman Odijk: "In principle, on provincial and municipal roads you want to have a guide rail along the road. These roads are usually more dangerous than highways, for example. As soon as there are trees along the side of the road, there is already increased risk. Similarly on the N395, where the challenge was to create a guide rail without having its posts cause damage to cables, pipes and tree roots present in the ground when installed or in the event of a collision."

The development points for an innovative guide rail that avoids the above problems were placing the poles in a way that spares cables, pipes and tree roots and creating sufficient ground resistance. Herman Odijk: "We ended up with a fastening system that does not go straight into the ground, but at an angle under the asphalt. So the focus was on developing the strong articulation required to go from angled back to straight. Once we agreed on the positioning of the piles, the next challenge immediately came up: how to install the piles at an angle? BAM modified a pile driver especially for that purpose, in order to be able to pile at the desired angle. A clever piece of engineering."

It can always be more sustainable

The pole of the Compact Eco-rail thus consists of two parts, the lower part of which goes into the ground at a 45˚ angle. "The pole thus stays under the ground away from all cabling as well as the roots of trees that are close to the road. Where previously trees most likely had to be uprooted to create a traffic-safe situation, now they can simply remain there. I think that's a double win when we talk about sustainability," said Herman Odijk. "And when it comes to sustainability, we get excited. We at Saferoad are always looking at what can be done better. The basis for the Compact Eco-rail is weather-resistant steel without the use of zinc, only the part of the posts below ground is galvanized for durability and thus safety. We are currently working on alternative materials for the production of guide rail constructions and can already produce in weather-resistant steel (Cor-Ten), we are also looking at bio-based raw materials. Of course, our RenoRail concept (the CE-marked marketing of reusable guide rail dismantled elsewhere) is really a model concept for climate-responsible guide rail. In short: we never stand still and are convinced that things can always be more sustainable!"