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70 INFRASTRUCTURE
Paulo Jorge Ribeiro Corte Real de Oliveira
Project Manager, Neopul
Deploying Neopul’s
know-how in Dublin
This report describes Neopul’s work on the Luas b1-400 extension of the Green Line from the Sandyford
depot to Cherrywood industrial estate, which was opened to the public on 16 October 2010.
The green line was the existing connection embedded slab track system with the different track types were used together with
from Dublin city centre (St. Stephen’s Green exception of the referred Sandyford Stop, the necessary solutions to cater for the
Station) and the recent developed Sandyford which was extended with a pre-casted system respective transitions, which were:
area with an extension of 9km. The scope of the put on top of the existing ballasted track Approximately 3,500 linear metres of single
B1-400 extension developed by Neopul, (Bodan System). Upon casting the panels which ballast track – built with the supply of
included the expansion of the existing line with formed the system, special care was taken in 10,100 tonnes of calibrated ballast, 4,000
more 7.5km towards the south from the consideration once there was a signalling loop monobloc sleepers with 8,000 Vossloh
existing Sandyford Stop to Brides Glen. This located on the extended area. On this location, fastening system type Skl 14, 343 tonnes of
contract also included the expansion of the the respective panels not only had to have a vignole S49E1 rails, 12 turnouts with point
Sandyford Depot (2km of single track) in order recess to cater for the loop, but also the rebar heating system and special track
to cater for the new vehicles. had to be replaced by glass fibre cables to equipment including twist rails, normal
Neopul’s work scope included the design, ensure the same strength and durability and isolated rail joints and transition rails
construction, testing and commissioning of without compromising or interfering with the to allow a perfect transition between the
approximately 17km of single track of light rail loop operation. vignole and grooved sections.
line system with 1,435mm gauge. The Stops built were Sandyford (existing); Approximately 8,400 linear metres of single
Central Park; Glencairn; The Gallops; embedded track – built with the supply of
Stops Leopardstown; Racecourse; Carrickmines; 11,000 cubic metres of C40/50 concrete,
The Luas B1-400 contract included the execution Brennanstown; Laughanstown; Cherrywood 1,175 tonnes of rebar, 118 tonnes of rubber
of 11 stops and the extension of the existing and Brides Glen. encapsulated grooved Ri54 rails and 865
Sandyford Stop from 40m to 53m as well as the tonnes of encapsulated grooved Ri59 rails,
increase of its platforms from two to three. Track types one encapsulated Ri54 grooved rail
All stops were executed in a concrete On the materialisation of the track, three diamond crossover with point heating
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INFRASTRUCTURE 71
Detail of the extension of Sandyford Stop with the Bodan system
system, special track equipment, complete special track equipment including twist Approximately 2,500 aluminothermic
rubber encapsulation of all the system, rails, expansion joints and normal and weldings including ultrasonic testing of
12 pairs of encapsulated grooved Ri54 isolated rail joints every single one.
expansion joints, embedded transversal
and longitudinal drainage and a system
for derailment prevention on the
structures (bridges and tunnels) – tram
arresting devices.
Approximately 3,200 linear metres of single
plinth track – built with the supply of 1,200
cubic metres of concrete, 91 tonnes of
rebar, 314 tonnes of vignole S49E1 rails,
12 pairs of vignole rail bridge expansion
joints, 10,000 Vossloh fastening systems
type 336 and special track equipment
including twist rails, normal and isolated
rail joints and transition rails to allow a
perfect transition between the vignole
and grooved sections
Approximately 1,800 linear metres of single
ballast track inside the Sandyford Depot to
increase the number of stabling lines –
built with the supply of 7,000 tonnes of
calibrated ballast, 2,000 monobloc sleepers
with 4,000 Vossloh fastening system type
Skl 14, 177 tonnes of vignole S49E1 rails, 10 Preventive grinding on the plinth track
turnouts with point heating system and
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3. infrastructure:Layout 1 18/11/10 10:25 Page 3
72 INFRASTRUCTURE
rubber encapsulation to the rails on a
controlled environment, before forming the
18m track panels put together with the
Rheinfeder system.
Besides the track, there was also the
following installed:
In the vicinity of the Sandyford Stop, one
trailing non-motorised switch, three set of
motorised facing switches and four sets of
non-motorised points set for spring
operation to facilitate normal reversing
operations at the stop
On the Sandyford Depot, one trailing non-
motorised switch and nine sets of
motorised facing switches operated by the
tram drivers
Two trailing non-motorised switches and a
track crossover located between the
running lines in the vicinity of The Gallops
and The Carrickmines tram stops (two in
each) for emergency and occasional
operational use
Cherrywood viaduct. Bride Glen’s Stop, at the end
Track work description
The ballasted track was built essentially in areas
separated from the urban regions, whilst the
embedded track was built in areas shared with
the traffic (road crossings) and in urbanised
areas or where urbanisation is planned. The
plinth track was installed over concrete
structures (viaducts and bridges) constructed in
previous contracts.
The ballasted track was positioned and
levelled thanks to rail road excavators equipped
with two independent tamping heads with
variable depth and positioning control, able to
tamp track and turnout sleepers, together with
mechanic rail jigs.
The plinth track was positioned thanks to
the use of levelling jigs and alignment push
pull props, whilst on the embedded track a pre
mounted sacrificial system formed from
metallic sleepers and levelling bolts
(Rheinfeder System) was used. This system was
entirely assembled on a compound built for
this purpose, were a covered marquee with an Leopardstown viaduct
area of 2,500m2 was created to allow gluing the
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INFRASTRUCTURE 73
In order to overcome the longitudinal
movements imposed by the joints between the
land and the structures, 24 expansion joints
were supplied and applied.
All rail profiles were joined with
aluminothermic weldings and every single one
was tested ultrasonically.
Tension releasing was performed to all non
embedded track.
At the end of the construction but before
gauge run, preventive grinding was applied to
the entire line.
OCS
Regarding the OCS system and under this
contract, Neopul constructed the complete
Overhead Conductor System to be operated at
a nominal tension of 750 Vcc on the complete
17km of single track including OCS poles (lateral
& axis), bracket arms, cross span and stitches,
pole tensioning equipment/mechanism, wall
fixings and building anchors, overhead line
equipment including conductor and feeder
system including the connection to the OCS.
On the Sandyford Depot, Neopul also
constructed the Overhead Conductor System
sectioning, including splitting the OCS power
feeding the PIT and SLAB lanes into two
separate sections per lane and all necessary
changes to integrate the new system to the old
one including Poles, suspensions (GRP
bracketarms), anchoring, section insulators and
contact wire.
Besides the overhead, Neopul’s scope also
included the materialisation of the feeder
cables and return traction along all the track
extension, including Trackside Distribution
Cabinets and Track Disconnector Switches
OCS construction on Leopardstown viaduct ensuring a perfect interface with the existing
Luas system.
A set of scissor points in advance of the Leopardstown Viaduct – over the M50 All work was done ensuring the
Brides Glen terminus comprising one set of Highway compatibility, interoperability of the tram
motorised facing switches and three sets of Carrickmines Viaduct – over the M50 services with existing Luas infrastructure and
non-motorised points set for spring Highway according with the maintenance requirements.
operation to facilitate normal reversing Glenamuck Underpass – under
operations at the stop. Glenamuck Road
Spine Road Tunel – under a future Paulo Jorge Ribeiro Corte
On the Cherrywood viaduct on the track development area Real de Oliveira
terminus, besides the construction and Cherrywood Viaduct – over the R118 Road. Paulo Jorge Ribeiro Corte Real de
Oliveira has a Degree in Civil
concrete sealing of the track, Neopul also Engineering which he achieved from
applied imprinted black concrete on the Due to the low temperatures during the Irish the Faculdade de Engenharia da
Universidade do Porto. Since May
surface, white on the walkways. winter, point heating systems were installed in
2007 until August 2010, he was Neopul’s Project Manager of
The track crossed the following structures: all turnouts except on the emergency the design and build of track and overhead conductor system
Brewery Road Viaduct – over the Brewery diagonals, in order to defrost the points of the recently opened Luas Green Line extension from
Sandyford to Cherrywood.
Road roundabout whenever necessary.
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