ABSTRACT

Composite materials have been increasingly recognized as viable construction materials for a wide range of structures, from a building to a car body, with distinct advantages in some special applications. These recognized advantages as materials of choice depending on the specifics of the intended use include light weight, high strength, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, dimensional stability, and design flexibility particularly in forming complex shapes. Ultimately, the reason for their increasing use is the recognition of the afforded competitive advantage on a life-cycle-cost basis. These same reasons will also lead to their increasing use in railroad infrastructure. In anticipation of this inevitable trend, FRA’s 5-year R&D Strategic Plan has identified composite materials for railroad infrastructure as a priority area.