- Rebar-Free Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Method Expected to Accelerate Domestic Tram Development-UIWANG, South Korea – June 27 – Korea Railroad Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as KRRI, President Sagong Myung) and ERS Co., Ltd. have installed FRC (Fiber Reinforced Concrete) tram track slabs* reinforced with synthetic fibers instead of steel bars on the Osong Tram Test Line for the first time in Korea, and held a demonstration event on June 24 for construction, design, and other experts involved in tram construction.※ Track slab: A concrete track slab for concrete track systems that directly fixes rails to concrete roadbed instead of ballast, used in urban railways, high-speed railways, trams, etc.This construction project aims to evaluate the performance and durability of the buried track (Polycork ERS) using FRC (Fiber Reinforced Concrete) without reinforcing bars in an actual tram operating environment.The embedded track system, jointly developed by KRRI and ERS Co., Ltd. as part of a national R&D project, has passed the railway facility performance verification conducted by the Korea National Railway and has already been selected as the embedded track material for Daejeon Urban Railway Line 2. The application of this technology is expected to bring about a groundbreaking transformation in construction method performance across multiple areas, including cost savings, reduced construction time, and improved durability.Synthetic fiber-reinforced concrete can control initial cracking and maximize stability against impact compared to conventional reinforced concrete slabs. It can improve slab performance without separate steel reinforcement processing and reinforcement, simplifying the process compared to conventional methods and reducing slab thickness by an average of 10-15%, thereby reducing construction costs.FRC-applied embedded tracks have already been implemented on the Parramatta tram line (12 km, double track) in Sydney, Australia, reducing construction costs by 15%. The use of reinforcing bars was replaced by 2,426 tons, reducing CO2 emissions by 4,815 tCO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent tons), and the construction period was reportedly halved.In particular, this construction project also applied the PRB (Precast Rail Beam) and SMS (Smart Modular Slab) track construction methods, where track slabs and rail fastening materials are prefabricated at the factory and assembled on-site, making it even more effective in shortening construction periods. The new construction method eliminates the rebar placement process. The process has been simplified through a Top-Down assembly method, eliminating the resin pouring process. Total construction time is expected to be reduced by over 50% compared to conventional reinforced concrete slabs, with durability also projected to increase by 20%.  This technology is anticipated to significantly contribute to the smooth implementation of domestic local government tram projects, which have been delayed due to recent increases in project costs, by reducing construction costs and construction periods. Lee Soo-hyung, Director of the Tram Research Department of the KRRI, stated, “Starting in August, test runs of 10 tram sets for the Wirye Line are scheduled to take place on the tram test line, enabling immediate performance verification under actual field conditions. Based on technological development and field verification, we will accelerate the localization of tram infrastructure.”President Sagong Myung of KRRI said, “We will actively expand the field application of research results to commercialize tram construction technologies based on local government demand,” adding, “We will work harder to develop technologies where the field application of eco-friendly K-Railway technology contributes to the mutual development of research institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises, and local governments, while enhancing citizens’ quality of life.”※ Related Research Project - Project title: Performance Verification of FRC Tram Track and Switching Equipment for the Osong Tram Test Line   - Research period: April 2025 to December 2025   - Research leader: Lee Soo-hyung, Head of the Tram Research Department at KRRIPress ContactsSunghyun BaekKorea Railroad Research Institutebaeksh@krri.re.kr+82 31 460 5162

- KRRI becomes Korea’s first accredited testing agency for Korean Train Control System (KTCS)-UIWANG, South Korea – June 26 – The Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI, President Sagong Myung) has been recognized as Korea’s first accredited testing agency in Korea for the Korea Train Control System (KTCS) field by the Korean Accreditation System (KOLAS) under the Korean Agency for Technology and Standardsof the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. ※ KTCS (Korea Train Control System): A Korean train control system based on European standard train control system (ETCS) technology. KTCS-2, which uses LTE-R, began with the Gyeongbu High Speed Line, is scheduled to be expanded and constructed nationwide by 2032.Previously, there were no domestic accredited institutions capable of conducting KTCS testing, so companies in the railway signaling field had to rely on overseas ETCS accredited institutions, which caused many difficulties. While overseas testing typically took about one year on average, KRRI’s recognition as an accredited testing agency is expected to reduce this to about 8-9 months, resulting in an expected 25% reduction in the total time required.※ KTCS is subject to mandatory conformity assessment through accredited testing and accredited inspection institutions in accordance with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport's “Act on the Construction and Maintenance of Railway Facilities” and “Technical Standards for Railway Facilities for Interoperability Between Railway Lines.” KRRI was already recognized as an accredited inspection agency in November 2024 and was also recognized as an accredited testing agency in June 2025.With KRRI becoming Korea’s first domestic accredited testing agency for KTCS, both accredited testing and accredited inspection of train control systems can now be conducted domestically, and the results can be mutually recognized internationally.KTCS certification testing is conducted in accordance with the requirements specified in the KTCS standard (KRS SG 0070 – 22), verifying through testing whether KTCS components such as on-board computers and wireless blocking centers comply with the requirements.The KRRI plans to provide both certified testing and inspection services for KTCS components to KTCS contracting agencies and manufacturing companies.Shin Kyung-ho, head of the Railroad Test, Inspection &Certification Division, who served as a principal researcher, said, “In order to effectively support the KTCS-2 construction project starting in 2025, we will further strengthen our certified testing and inspection evaluation capabilities and strive to complete a KTCS conformity assessment one-stop service that enables testing, inspection and certification all at once.”President Sagong Myung of KRRI said, “As railway technology becomes more digitalized and domestic technology becomes more advanced, the scope and technical level of domestic testing and evaluation are increasing,” adding, “We will do our best to advance the accredited testing system for international standards and new technologies in order to support the government’s railway policy, secure the global competitiveness of the domestic railway industry, and assist in overseas expansion.”[Reference]KRRI has been conducting the project titled “Development of Technology for Interoperability Evaluation of KTCS-2 Level Train Control Systems※” since 2021 as part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s national R&D program to establish a domestic KTCS testing and evaluation system and support the expanded commercialization of domestic train control technology.※ Project title: Development of Technology for Interoperability Evaluation of KTCS-2 Level Train Control Systems  Research period and budget: April 2021 to March 2025 (total 4 years), KRW 8.746 billion    Principal researcher: Shin Seong-ho Shin, Director (Railroad Accredited Test &Certification Department of the Railroad Test, Inspection & Certification Division, KRRI)    Lead Ministry: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport    Expert institution: Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology AdvancementPress ContactsSunghyun BaekKorea Railroad Research Institutebaeksh@krri.re.kr+82 31 460 5162