SPANISH high-speed infrastructure manager Adif AV has invited bids for a contract worth up to €117.2m to supply aerodynamic sleepers as part of project to raise the maximum speed on the Madrid - Barcelona line from 300km/h to 350km/h.
Developed by Adif AV in collaboration with engineering consultancy Sener, the sleepers are designed to reduce the downforce in the space immediately above the ballast bed by 21%, reducing the likelihood of ballast coming loose and striking trains. This will enable the maximum speed to be increased by 12%, while further aerodynamic refinements, including to the design of the train, will help meet the new target of 350km/h operation.
Adif AV has called tenders for the supply and delivery of 680,400 sleepers in total that will be installed between Mejorada del Campo and Calatayud on the Madrid - Barcelona high-speed line. Sleeper replacement has been divided into four sections, with the number of new sleepers to be installed by section as follows:
- Mejorada del Campo - Brihuega: 232,400
- Brihuega - Alcolea: 143,150
- Alcolea - Ariza: 166,250, and
- Ariza - Calatayud: 138,600.
In addition, Adif AV has tendered a contract worth up to €7.7m to supply sleeper base plates, to be installed on these sections which are maintained from bases at Brihuega and Calatayud.
Civil works contracts awarded for the upgrade of the Madrid - Barcelona high-speed line include a contract worth €6.3m covering life-extension works for the Benamira and Río Blanco viaducts between Guadalajara and Calatayud. Last year Adif AV awarded a €6m to undertake drainage improvements at five locations on a 13km section of the line in Zaragoza province, and more recently a €4.6m contract to improve drainage at four locations on two sections totalling 151km, situated in the provinces of Huesca, Tarragona and Girona.
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