A natural fiber-based, engineered beam assembly comprising opposing top and bottom surfaces, opposing first and second side surfaces and a longitudinal axis. Loads applied to the beam assembly are normal to the top surface. Substantially parallel layers of flattened bamboo or vegetable cane culms are stacked and laminated together. Each layer is formed by at least one culm, and each culm has fiber bundles extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and are impregnated with a binder. The density of the fiber bundles in the culm decreases across the culm's thickness from the exterior surface to the interior surface. At least a plurality of the culms have a common orientation, wherein the exterior surfaces face toward a same one of the top, bottom, first or second side surfaces.

The present invention discloses a one-step integrally-formed bamboo sleeper. For the one-step integrally-formed bamboo sleeper, a bamboo unit is used as a raw material, to be dried and modified at the temperature of 110-180 C., and then subject to adhesive dipping, adhesive throwing, solidification, dopamine solution treatment, anti-mildew and/or anti-corrosion and/or anti-insect treatment, and fastening, to obtain the one-step integrally-formed bamboo sleeper with a density of 0.9-1.5 g/cm.sup.3. The present invention further provides a preparation method for the foregoing bamboo sleeper. The bamboo sleeper prepared in the present invention has a suitable elastic modulus, and applicable for ballasted tracks of railways and urban rail transit systems.

The present invention discloses a one-step integrally-formed bamboo sleeper. For the one-step integrally-formed bamboo sleeper, a bamboo unit is used as a raw material, to be dried and modified at the temperature of 110-180 C., and then subject to adhesive dipping, adhesive throwing, solidification, dopamine solution treatment, anti-mildew and/or anti-corrosion and/or anti-insect treatment, and fastening, to obtain the one-step integrally-formed bamboo sleeper with a density of 0.9-1.5 g/cm.sup.3. The present invention further provides a preparation method for the foregoing bamboo sleeper. The bamboo sleeper prepared in the present invention has a suitable elastic modulus, and applicable for ballasted tracks of railways and urban rail transit systems.

Provided is a curable resin material capable of controlling variations in specific gravity in a resin molded body obtained therefrom. The curable resin material according to the present invention contains a polyol compound, an isocyanate compound, a powder of a urethane resin molded body containing a urethane resin and a glass fiber, and a long reinforcing fiber, wherein the curable resin material has an isocyanate index of 110 or more and 120 or less.

The present invention discloses an assembled bamboo sleeper, which is obtained by using a bamboo unit as a raw material, dried and modified at the temperature of 110-180 C., undergone coating treatment using a dopamine solution, adhesive dipping, curing and solidifying, assembling and gluing, further solidifying, further treatment using a dopamine solution, and anti-mildew and/or anti-corrosion and/or anti-insect treatment, and then fastened. The present invention further provides a preparation method for the foregoing bamboo sleeper. The bamboo sleeper prepared in the present invention is green and environmentally friendly, and applicable for ballasted tracks of railways and urban rail transit systems.

The present invention discloses an assembled bamboo sleeper, which is obtained by using a bamboo unit as a raw material, dried and modified at the temperature of 110-180 C., undergone coating treatment using a dopamine solution, adhesive dipping, curing and solidifying, assembling and gluing, further solidifying, further treatment using a dopamine solution, and anti-mildew and/or anti-corrosion and/or anti-insect treatment, and then fastened. The present invention further provides a preparation method for the foregoing bamboo sleeper. The bamboo sleeper prepared in the present invention is green and environmentally friendly, and applicable for ballasted tracks of railways and urban rail transit systems.

A thermoset composite material and composite railroad crosstie fabricated from the thermoset composite material that comprises a substantially homogeneous blend of an amount of vulcanized rubber particles, polyurea binding agent and urea melamine. The thermoset composite material may also contain a granulated silica material. The thermoset composite material may comprise about 30% to about 50% by weight of the vulcanized rubber particles, and it is subjected to compression molding at a predetermined temperature and pressure for a resident time period forming the composite railroad crosstie. The thermoset composite material and railroad crosstie may further comprise a fibrous glass material in the form of unbundled fibers and/or one more glass mats encapsulated within the thermoset composite material. In addition or alternatively, an elongated core insert may be encapsulated in the thermoset composite material.

A thermoset composite material and composite railroad crosstie fabricated from the thermoset composite material that comprises a substantially homogeneous blend of an amount of vulcanized rubber particles, polyurea binding agent and urea melamine. The thermoset composite material may also contain a granulated silica material. The thermoset composite material may comprise about 30% to about 50% by weight of the vulcanized rubber particles, and it is subjected to compression molding at a predetermined temperature and pressure for a resident time period forming the composite railroad crosstie. The thermoset composite material and railroad crosstie may further comprise a fibrous glass material in the form of unbundled fibers and/or one more glass mats encapsulated within the thermoset composite material. In addition or alternatively, an elongated core insert may be encapsulated in the thermoset composite material.

A composite railway sleeper (1; 50; 100) comprising an outer coating shell (2; 51; 101) made of composite plastic material and a shaped structural core (3; 52; 102), made of a material comprising at least concrete contained within said outer coating shell (2; 51; 510; 101), wherein said outer coating shell (2; 51; 510; 101) presents in the upper outer face (2a; 51a; 101a) two distinct and opposite groups of grooves (4; 53) suitable to receive the angular guide plates (G) belonging to pre-assembled elastic type fastening systems (64) for the connection of two respective rails (R) with said railway sleeper (1; 50; 100).

A railroad tie (1) is manufactured from at least plastic (2), wherein an elongated reinforcing structure (3) is embedded in the plastic. The reinforcing structure in the longitudinal tie direction (L) is extending at least from and including at least a part of one (15) of the two rail supporting longitudinal tie segments up to and including at least a part of the other (16) of the two rail supporting longitudinal tie segments of the railroad tie. In the two rail supporting longitudinal tie segments the railroad tie has a lower lateral stiffness than in an intermediate longitudinal tie segment (17), lying in-between the two rail supporting longitudinal tie segments, which lower lateral stiffness is realized at least by change of shape of the elongated reinforcing structure in the longitudinal tie direction and/or by the range within which said reinforcing structure extends in the longitudinal tie direction.