- 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 KRRI





Press Contacts

Sunghyun Baek
Korea Railroad Research Institute
baeksh@krri.re.kr
+82 31 460 5162