BS EN 13481-1:2012

BSI Standards Publication

Railway applications — Track —

Performance requirements for
fastening systems
Part 1: Definitions
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BS EN 13481-1:2012 BRITISH STANDARD

National foreword
This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 13481-1:2012.
It supersedes BS EN 13481-1:2002 which is withdrawn.
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical
Committee RAE/2, Railway Applications - Track.
A list of organizations represented on this committee can be
obtained on request to its secretary.
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary
provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct
application.
© The British Standards Institution 2012. Published by BSI Standards
Limited 2012
ISBN 978 0 580 68154 7
ICS 01.040.93; 93.100
Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from
legal obligations.
This British Standard was published under the authority of the
Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 30 June 2012.
Amendments issued since publication
Date Text affected

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 BS EN 13481-1:2012

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 13481-1

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM May 2012

ICS 01.040.93; 93.100 Supersedes EN 13481-1:2002

English Version

Railway applications - Track - Performance requirements for

fastening systems - Part 1: Definitions

Applications ferroviaires - Voie - Exigences de performance Bahnanwendungen - Oberbau - Leistungsanforderungen für

pour les systèmes de fixation - Partie 1: Définitions Schienenbefestigungssysteme - Teil 1: Definitionen

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 27 April 2012.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same
status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,

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Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION

COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels

© 2012 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 13481-1:2012: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
BS EN 13481-1:2012
EN 13481-1:2012 (E)

Contents Page

Foreword .............................................................................................................................................. 3
1 Scope....................................................................................................................................... 4
2 Normative references ............................................................................................................ 4
3 Terms and definitions ............................................................................................................ 4
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 9

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 BS EN 13481-1:2012
EN 13481-1:2012 (E)

Foreword
This document (EN 13481-1:2012) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 256 “Railway
applications”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by November 2012, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by November 2012.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such
patent rights.

This document supersedes EN 13481-1:2002.

In this revision of EN 13481-1:2002 the main changes are as follows:

a) A range of categories of fastening systems have been included in 3.1;

b) the definition of embedded rail (3.12) has been extended;

c) definitions of low and high frequency dynamic stiffness have been added (3.25).

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This European Standard is one of the series EN 13481 "Railway applications – Track – Performance
requirements for fastening systems" which consists of the following parts:

 Part 1: Definitions

 Part 2: Fastening systems for concrete sleepers

 Part 3: Fastening systems for wood sleepers

 Part 4: Fastening systems for steel sleepers

 Part 5: Fastening systems for slab track with rail on the surface or rail embedded in a channel

 Part 7: Special fastening systems for switches and crossings and check rails

NOTE Part 6 does not exist in this series.

These European Standards are supported by the test methods in the series EN 13146 "Railway
applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems".

This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and
the European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EU Directive(s).

According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

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BS EN 13481-1:2012
EN 13481-1:2012 (E)

1 Scope
This European Standard specifies the definitions of the terms used in the EN 13146 series and in the
EN 13481 series.

2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

EN 13146-1:2012, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems – Part 1:
Determination of longitudinal rail restraint

EN 13146-2:2012, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems – Part 2:
Determination of torsional resistance

EN 13146-3:2012, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems – Part 3:
Determination of attenuation of impact loads

EN 13146-4:2012, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems – Part 4: Effect
of repeated loading

EN 13146-5:2012, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems – Part 5:
Determination of electrical resistance

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EN 13146-6:2012, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems – Part 6: Effect
of severe environmental conditions

EN 13146-7:2012, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems – Part 7:
Determination of clamping force

EN 13146-8:2012, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems – Part 8: In
service testing

EN 13146-9:2009+A1:2011, Railway applications – Track – Test methods for fastening systems –

Part 9: Determination of stiffness

EN 13232-1, Railway applications – Track – Switches and crossings – Part 1: Definitions

EN 13481 (all parts), Railway applications – Track – Performance requirements for fastening systems

3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

3.1
categories of fastening system
typical types of fastening system related to speed and axle load of trains on tracks, for which they are
designed, and the rail section used

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 BS EN 13481-1:2012
EN 13481-1:2012 (E)

3.1.1
category A fastening system
fastening system designed for urban light rail and some industrial tracks, with a typical axle load of
100 kN, a typical curve radius of 80 m, a typical maximum speed of 100 km/h, a typical rail section of
40E1 and a typical sleeper or support spacing of 800 mm

Note 1 to entry: Rail sections are specified in the EN 13674 series.

3.1.2
category B fastening system
fastening system designed for urban light rail and some industrial tracks, with a typical axle load of
160 kN, a typical curve radius of 100 m, a typical maximum speed of 140 km/h, a typical rail section of
54E1 and a typical sleeper or support spacing of 600 mm

Note 1 to entry: Rail sections are specified in the EN 13674 series.

3.1.3
category C fastening system
fastening system designed for conventional main line railways, with a typical axle load of 225 kN, a
typical curve radius of 400 m, a typical maximum speed of 250 km/h, a typical rail section of 60E1 and
a typical sleeper or support spacing of 600 mm

Note 1 to entry: Rail sections are specified in the EN 13674 series.

3.1.4
category D fastening system
fastening system designed for lines with large radius curves, often used for high speed trains and
having a typical axle load of 180 kN, a typical curve radius of 800 m, a typical rail section of 60E1, a

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typical sleeper or support spacing of 600 mm and any typical maximum speed

Note 1 to entry: Rail sections are specified in the EN 13674 series.

3.1.5
category E fastening system
fastening system designed for mixed traffic line carrying heavy freight trains, with a typical axle load of
300 kN, a typical curve radius of 150 m, a typical maximum speed of 200 km/h, a typical rail section of
60E1 and a typical sleeper or support spacing of 600 mm

Note 1 to entry: Rail sections are specified in the EN 13674 series.

3.2
ballasted track
track in which the sleepers are supported in ballast

3.3
slab track
track in which the structure supporting the rails and transmitting the track forces into the sub-base
consists of a slab supported directly on a formation without ballast

Note 1 to entry: The slab may be an asphalt or reinforced concrete pavement laid in situ, precast concrete
units or a combination of precast concrete and in situ concrete or asphalt.

3.4
sleeper
beam, which may be composite in construction, which supports running rails, guard rails and check
rails at right angles to its axis

Note 1 to entry: Normally the beam supports two running rails to form one track.

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BS EN 13481-1:2012
EN 13481-1:2012 (E)

3.5
bearer
beam, which may be composite in construction, which supports running rails, guard rails and check
rails which may not be at right angles to its axis

Note 1 to entry: The beam may support up to six running rails and other components used in switches and
crossings.

3.6
baseplate
non-elastic component which supports the rail and is secured to the supporting structure

3.7
baseplate pad
non-metallic pad placed between baseplate and sleeper

3.8
rail pad
non-metallic pad placed between rail and baseplate or rail and sleeper, bearer or slab

3.9
anti-creep rail pad
rail pad which provides increased longitudinal rail restraint

3.10
active area of a rail pad
area of the pad surface that is in contact with a rail

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3.11
running rail
rail which supports the wheels of vehicles moving along the track

3.12
embedded rail
rail which is contained within a channel, filled with inert material, up to the running surface and which
is at approximately at the same level as the surrounding surface

Note 1 to entry: A flange way is maintained alongside the gauge face of the rail and the rail is secured by
adhesion of the surrounding material or by mechanical fastenings.

3.13
check rail
rail laid close to the gauge face of a running rail which takes part in lateral guidance of the wheel and
prevents derailment in small radius curved track and switches and crossings

3.14
guard rail
rail, laid parallel to a running rail, which is intended to control the lateral movement of derailed wheels

3.15
running surface
curved surface defined by the longitudinal displacement of a straight line perpendicular to the centre
line of the track and tangential to both running tables

[SOURCE: EN 13848-1:2003+A1:2008]

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EN 13481-1:2012 (E)

3.16
fastening system
assembly of components which secures a rail to the supporting structure and retains it in the required
position whilst permitting any necessary vertical, lateral and longitudinal movement

Note 1 to entry: Such an assembly includes components to distribute the loads from the rail into the
supporting structure, and where necessary to prevent wear of the contact surfaces on the supporting structure
and to electrically insulate the rail from the supporting structure.

3.17
direct fastening system
assembly in which a rail is directly secured to the supporting structure with or without a baseplate

3.18
indirect fastening system
assembly in which a rail is secured to a baseplate independently of the fastening of the baseplate to
the supporting structure

3.19
web support fastening system
assembly in which the principal means of securing the rail to its support is by action on the web of the
rail and under the head of the rail

3.20
rigid fastening system
assembly which is designed to clamp the rail tightly to the sleeper and does not incorporate a resilient
component apart from any rail pad

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Note 1 to entry: A fully compressed spring washer is not a resilient component.

3.21
reference fastening system
assembly which complies with this series and has a record of satisfactory performance in the user's
track

3.22
clamping force
vertical force applied to the upper surface of one rail foot by the fastening assembly clips

3.23
static stiffness
force per unit deflection measured under a uniaxial static force

3.24
vertical stiffness
force per unit vertical deflection measured normal to the running surface between specified minimum
and maximum applied loads

3.25
dynamic stiffness
force per unit deflection measured under a cyclic uniaxial force

3.25.1
low frequency dynamic stiffness
stiffness measured within the frequency range 3 Hz to 30 Hz

3.25.2
high frequency dynamic stiffness
stiffness measured within the frequency range 20 Hz to 450 Hz

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EN 13481-1:2012 (E)

3.26
transfer stiffness
frequency dependent ratio of the force on the blocked output side of a vibration isolator to the
displacement on the input side during simple harmonic vibration in the range 25 Hz to 400 Hz

3.27
vibration attenuation
reduction in transmission of vibration from running and check rails into the supporting structure

3.28
noise attenuation
reduction in emission of audible vibration into the surroundings

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 BS EN 13481-1:2012
EN 13481-1:2012 (E)

Bibliography

[1] EN 13848-1:2003+A1:2008, Railway applications - Track - Track geometry quality - Part 1:

Characterisation of track geometry

[2] EN 13674-1, Railway applications – Track – Rail – Part 1: Vignole railway rails 46 kg/m and
above

[3] EN 13674-4, Railway applications – Track – Rail – Part 4: Vignole railway rails from 27 kg/m
to, but excluding 46 kg/m

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