EN 13146-4:2012/FprA1

Overview

EN 13146-4:2012/FprA1 is a draft amendment to the European standard for railway track fastening test methods, prepared by CEN/TC 256. The document addresses the effect of repeated loading on fastening systems and clarifies specimen preparation and rail support for embedded rails. As a final draft (FprA1), it is circulated for unique acceptance and review; it modifies specific clauses in EN 13146-4:2012 to improve test reproducibility and applicability to different fastening types.

Key Topics

• Scope and purpose: Defines test procedures to evaluate how fastening systems behave under repeated dynamic loading to support durability and safety assessments.
• Embedded rail as part of the specimen: Modification to clause 5.1 specifies that, for embedded rail, the rail is part of the test specimen and its length is set according to the rail support requirements (see 6.1).
• Rail support for embedded configurations: Amendment to clause 6.1 requires that the channel containing an embedded rail be cast in a concrete block similar to that used for surface-mounted rail tests, ensuring consistent boundary conditions.
• Specimen length by fastening type:
  • Mechanically fastened embedded rail: the rail length shall match the typical spacing of fastenings used in the system.
  • Adhesively fastened embedded rail: the rail length shall be 0,5 m to 0,85 m (as specified in the draft amendment).
• Standard status and procedure: The draft amendment is subject to CEN unique acceptance; until approved it is distributed for comment and must not be cited as an established European Standard.

Applications

This amendment and the underlying standard are directly useful for:

• Test laboratories validating fastening system durability and establishing repeatable test set-ups for embedded rails.
• Manufacturers developing fastening components who need consistent specimen definitions for type testing and product qualification.
• Railway owners and infrastructure managers specifying acceptance tests and procurement criteria to ensure performance under cyclic loads.
• Design and maintenance teams assessing long-term behaviour of fastening systems in tunnels, slab track and other embedded-rail applications.

Practical benefits include improved comparability of test results, clearer specimen preparation rules, and explicit guidance for different fastening technologies (mechanical vs adhesive).

Related Standards

• EN 13146-4:2012 (original part) - test methods for fastening systems, Part 4: Effect of repeated loading (amended by FprA1).
• Other parts of the EN 13146 series and national implementations overseen by CEN/TC 256 may be relevant when applying these test methods.

For authoritative use, consult the draft amendment text and follow CEN publication guidance while the FprA1 amendment undergoes the acceptance procedure.