Amorim Cork Solutions helps reduce noise and vibration on Amsterdam’s Metro Line 52

Amorim Cork Solutions (ACS) contributed to Amsterdam’s transportation project: the North-South Metro Line 52. This new line has a positive impact on urban mobility, since residents and visitors can now travel from the Boven ‘t Y Shopping Center in the north to the bustling Zuidas business district, in only 15 minutes.

At Amorim Cork Solutions, we are dedicated to developing high-performance cork composite solutions that seamlessly blend innovation with sustainability. By harnessing the unique properties of cork—a 100% natural, renewable, and recyclable raw material—we create groundbreaking solutions tailored for a wide range of industries, including railway, mobility, sealing, energy, construction, and more.

Alom Rail Fastening System: NZL49

The project uses the Alom rail fastening system, NZL49, that features cork-rubber vibration control rail pads and baseplates. The combination of these materials effectively reduces noise and vibrations at source, significantly minimizing negative impacts on residents living near the metro line.

The system has a minimum lifespan of 25 years and its performance was extensively tested at Dekra, an independent organization authorized to certify processes and products in the rail sector, with a test simulation undertaken at the University of Leuven, in Belgium. The solution was chosen by the Amsterdam public transport company, Gemeentelijk Vervoersbedrijf (GVB), to improve the urban living experience while maintaining efficient rail operations.

The combination of cork and rubber in vibration-control rail pads and baseplates not only mitigates sound and vibration but also lowers the project’s environmental footprint, since cork is a 100% natural material. This highlights ACS’s commitment to delivering sustainable solutions for modern urban infrastructure.

Each product we design is a strategic response to evolving market needs, reinforcing our commitment to both technological advancement and environmental responsibility. Our work ensures that nature and technology coexist harmoniously, offering superior performance while preserving ecological balance.

Materials for Railway Systems
One of our key applications lies in railway track acoustic and vibration isolation, where our specialized cork composites are used in slab and ballast track systems for both light and heavy rail applications. Our materials provide varying degrees of attenuation, ensuring optimal track stiffness and dynamic behavior according to each project. By incorporating elastic elements into the track structure, we significantly reduce stress exerted on the substructure while improving noise and vibration absorption. This enhances the longevity and reliability of railway systems, making them more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Cork-engineered compounds are designed for use as Under Ballast Mats and Floating Slab Mats. Available in a wide variety of thicknesses, these materials provide different degrees of impact attenuation for light and heavy rail applications in slab and ballast track. They are also utilized in special track works such as turnouts, crossings, and crossovers, enhancing track resilience and operational efficiency.

Materials for Train Interiors
We also provide innovative mobility solutions for train interiors, divided into visual and structural materials. Our visual materials include Mobility Interior Compounds, Mobility Cork Veneers, and Mobility Digital Printing, offering high-quality finishes and design flexibility. For structural applications, we offer Mobility Acoustic Core (MAC), Mobility Natural Lightweight (MNL), and Mobility Bio-Based Panel (MBP). MAC combines cork with an elastomeric matrix for thermal insulation, noise reduction, and fire resistance while keeping weight minimal. MNL ensures natural perforation for resin impregnation, enhancing lightness and cost efficiency. MBP integrates a cork core with various outer layers, such as flax fibers or fire-certified aluminum, tailored to project specifications.

Our solutions enhance side walls, doors, flooring, interior trims, wall partitions, ceilings, and accessories in trains. Our cork composites provide superior impact resistance and acoustic insulation, improving passenger comfort and safety. Additionally, they contribute to the structural integrity of train interiors while maintaining a low environmental footprint.

Amorim Rail Materials Key Features

Floating Slab Mats (FSMs)
Amorim Rail Floating Slab Mats is a high-performing vibration attenuation floating slab system. Easy to install, maintenance free and compatible with all types of rail and track systems, it has been designed to reduce the lifecycle costs of the railway. The FSM is based on the mass-spring principle. The concrete slab (the mass) is elastically supported by a continuous resilient mat (the spring). The elastic properties of the mat solution are defined by track and train design, chosen material, defined thickness and number of layers and determined shape factor. They are made from high-quality resin-bonded rubbers, with design parameters that can be adjusted to achieve up to 25 dBv of vibration attenuation while maintaining a low resonance frequency.

Under Ballast Mats (UBMs)
Amorim Rail Under Ballast Mats (UBMs) can reduce life cycle cost of the railway and/or vibration attenuation for ballasted track. Easy to install, maintenance free and compatible with all types of track design, they aim to reduce the lifecycle costs of the railway. UBMs operate on the mass-spring principle. The ballasted track (the mass) is elastically supported by a continuous resilient mat (the spring). The elastic properties of the mat solution are defined by track and train design, mat material, system thickness, number of resilient layers and determined shape factor. Amorim Rail UBMs are made from high-quality resin-bonded rubbers. The design parameters can be adjusted to achieve a vibration attenuation up to 25 dBv.

See our railway solutions AMORIM RAIL

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