LONGEVITY REPORT ON SYLOMER®. THE MATERIAL USED AS A SUB-BALLAST MAT KEEPS ITS ORIGINAL PROPERTIES AFTER 30 YEARS OF OPERATION
In 1983 Sylomer® Sub-Ballast Mat was installed into the subway of Munich to protect the concert hall of the Philharmonic Orchestra from the structure-borne noise caused by the trains in the tunnel, and its high effectiveness was noticed immediately.
Munich subway is the highest frequented underground line in Germany, and after 16 years of operation, samples of Sub-Ballast Mat were removed to examine its long-term properties.
Although they were completely submerged in water, the samples were in very good conditions and showed no damages and only slight plastic deformations. The static and dynamic stiffness of the material remained very similar and still met the properties required in 1983, keeping its full functionality.
In 2012, after 29 years in operation, another samples were removed to examine its properties. As in the previous extraction, only some plastic deformations were observed, and there were no damages. The static and dynamic stiffness continued meeting the properties required in 1983 and the Technical University of Munich confirms that a full functionality of the Sub-Ballast Mat can be expected for at least another 30 years.
Original reports of the tests carried out on the samples extracted in 1999 and in 2012 can be downloaded below:
