RAB Associates

Nottingham’s City Express Transit Tram will commence public service in November 2003. Several of the new tram lines have to be placed in close proximity to existing buildings. In order to prevent the heavy road trains vibrating these structures the tram track foundations will be cast onto a floating slab structure in order that the imposed dynamic loadings are absorbed before they can cause damage to the surrounding areas. However this anticipated movement, will be transmitted vertically upwards to the new Tarmac road surfacing, which is not able to flex sufficiently to accommodate this rapid movement. Therefore rapid deteriation of the surfacing would follow.

RAB Associates were consulted at the design stage, with a view to overcoming this problem. Their SOLUTION was to install ‘PERMATRACK H’ heavy duty road jointabove the vertical movement joint which not only accommodates the vertical and horizontal movement but will retain the chosen anti-skid material. [Pre-Coated chippings]