Industry Research Laboratory of Rail Seats and Special Reinforced Concrete (IRL-6)
Scientific supervisor – Doctor of Technical Sciences, Prof. Plugin A.A.
It was created under the name “Reinforced concrete sleepers” by the order of the Ministry of Communications of the USSR No. 45/ЦЗ dated 25.05.1965 at the Department of “Construction Materials” of the KhIIIT on the initiative of prof. Mchedlova-Petrosyan O.P.
In 1994, it acquired the modern name “Under-rail foundations and special reinforced concrete” (order of the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine No. 297 dated 06.08.1994).
Scientific supervisors of IRL:
Heads of GNDL from 1965 until now:
- Ph.D., Assoc. Melnychenko P.O.,
- Ph.D., S.N.S. (later Doctor of Science, Prof.) O. O. Staroselskyi,
- Ph.D., S.N.S. (later Doctor of Science, Prof.) Plugin A.M.,
- Ph.D., S.N.S. Spirin Yu.O.,
- Ph.D., S.N.S. (later Doctor of Science, Prof.) V. I. Kondrashchenko,
- Ph.D., S.N.S. Lybenko Y.P.,
- Ph.D., Assoc. Kalinin O.A. (since 1998).
The bridge test group has been working as a part of the GNDL since 1992 (created in the 1960s at the “Bridges and Structures” department).
Leaders of the bridge test group from 1992 to the present.
s.n.s. Litvinov M.I.,
art.excl. Semenenko S.Ya.,
Ph.D., Assoc. Lyuty V.A. (since 2012).
The main areas of activity of IRL:
Research and development in the field of development of theoretical and experimental foundations of the composition, structure, properties, destruction, durability, technology of concrete and reinforced concrete, in particular, under-rail foundations and special structures of railway transport, restoration of operational properties of construction structures, buildings and structures
Development of regulatory documentation
Testing of building materials and products
Inspection, testing and evaluation of the technical condition of construction structures, buildings, structures, railway tracks
In the 1990s and 2000s, the Testing and Certification Center for Materials, Structures and Buildings (VSC ISS) operated on the basis of GNDL, the head of the center was Prof. Plugin A.M.
In the 2000s-2010s, GNDL was certified for conducting measurements in the field of the spread of state metrological supervision, and cooperated on tests and surveys with the also certified Center for Diagnostics of Transport Facilities of UkrDUZT.
Employees of GNDL and the department of BMKS prof. Plugin A.A., Assoc. Lyuty V.A., Assoc. A.V. Nikytinskyi, S.N.S. Novikov V.V. are certified experts in technical inspection of buildings and structures.
In 2013, the Ukrainian State University of Railway Transport was granted the status of a core organization in construction in the field of scientific and technical activities entitled “Scientific, technical, research, methodological, and information support for the standardization of design and construction of engineering and transport infrastructure facilities, safety and accessibility during operation”. In 2024, this status was renewed once again, granting the University the authority to develop national standards and building codes (Order No. 360 of April 26, 2024, issued by the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine).
IRL is equipped with modern research and testing equipment for forming, pressing, climate, etc.
Some research works performed by IRL:
fundamental, financed from the state budget of Ukraine:
6/2-2026Б Theoretical and experimental foundations for the development of concrete products with composite reinforcement resistant to electrical and dynamic influences for the construction and rehabilitation of electrified railway sections;
6/1-2015B (ДР№0115U000276) Development of the theoretical foundations of the occurrence and prevention of violations of the stability of earthen and other structures;
6/1-2013B (ДР№0113U001030) Development of theoretical and experimental bases for determining compositions of waterproof crack-resistant concrete for railway constructions and structures;
6/2-2012 (DR№0112U000420) Development of theoretical foundations and experimental studies of anti-slide measures, technological solutions and materials.
Аpplied or developments performed under business contracts:
6/12-2023 – Development of Technical Specifications “Mortar Mixes for Additive Construction (3D Printing)”.
6/7-2021 – Testing of NS-1.4 polymer-composite insulated joint bars for R65 rails for compliance with Technical Specifications TU U 35.2-30268559-233:2008.
6/2-2020 – Development of Technical Specifications “Concrete Mixes for Ballastless Reinforced Concrete Under-Rail Bases of Tram Tracks.”
6/4-2020 – Development and amendment of DSTU B V.2.6-209:2016 “Prestressed Reinforced Concrete Sleepers for 1520 mm and 1435 mm Gauge Railways. Technical Specifications.”
6/8-2019 Study of the impact of structural, technological and operational factors on the formation of cracks in SB3 type sleepers;
6/6-2018 Assessment of the impact of the concrete class on the compressive strength of prestressed reinforced concrete sleepers of the SB3-0 type on their performance and resource;
6/35-2017 Conducting research and developing recommendations regarding maintenance standards for insulating joints with non-metallic overlays
6/19-2017 Determination of physical and mechanical characteristics of blast furnace and steelmaking slags for the arrangement of railway ballast in accordance with DSTU B V.2.7-204:2009 Building materials. Crushed stone from natural stone for the ballast layer of the railway track;
6/15-2015 (DR№0116U003466) Conducting research on the possibility of using reinforced concrete sleepers with unlined intermediate rail fasteners in areas of increased load tension and development of recommendations;
6/9-2013 (ДР№0113U008421) Conducting research on the technology of arranging a polymer-composite paving layer under precast and precast monolithic reinforced concrete ballastless bridge deck and development of recommendations;
6/5-2013 (DR№0114U006551) Conducting research on the use of chemical additives to reduce the energy consumption of production of reinforced concrete sleepers and development of DSTU for prestressed reinforced concrete sleepers for railway tracks of 1520 mm;
6/4-2012 (DR No. 0112U006827) Development of structural and technological solutions for eliminating cracks in the walls of buildings of station complexes and recommendations for their implementation during operation.
Some normative documents developed by IRL:
DBN V.2.3-19:2025 Gauge Railways 1520 mm. Design Standards.
DBN V.2.3-20:2025 Gauge Railways 1435 mm. Design Standards.
TU U 23.6-44507121-001:2023 Concrete Mixes for Additive Construction (3D Printing).
TU U 23.6-41049388-017:2020 Concrete Mixes for Ballastless Reinforced Concrete Under-Rail Bases of Tram Tracks.
DBN V.2.3-19:2018 Transport structures. Railway track 1520 mm. Design standards
DSTU 9002:2020 Transport structures. Classification, periodicity of appointment and carrying out planned and preventive repairs of railway tracks
DSTU B V.2.6-209:2016 Prestressed reinforced concrete sleepers for 1520 and 1435 mm gauge railways. Specifications
TU U 23.6-41049388-001:2017 Support elements for the reinforced concrete precast monolithic base of the tram track
TU У 26.6-01116472-107:2006 Pre-stressed reinforced concrete sleepers of the Ш type with elastic rail fastening of the PRS type for railways with a gauge of 1520 mm. Technical conditions for the experimental batch
PT MD 91-04712708-002:2006 (Moldova) Prestressed reinforced concrete beams for P65 type turnouts of 1/11 and 1/9 grades with rod reinforcement for 1520 mm gauge railways. Technical conditions
TU U 26.6-00282435-001:2005 Reinforced concrete risers for supports of the contact network of railways. Specifications
PT MD 91-04712708-001:2004 (Moldova) Prestressed reinforced concrete sleepers of the SH type with rod reinforcement for railways with a gauge of 1520 mm. Technical conditions
TU U 01116472.080-2001 Prestressed reinforced concrete sleepers with rod reinforcement for 1520 mm gauge railways. Specifications
TU U V.2.7-01116472-043-2001 Superplasticizer SL and its modifications. Specifications
STP 06-016:2020 Engineering structures. Earth canvas. Rules of arrangement and maintenance / JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia”
CP 0224 Recommendations for ensuring crack resistance of ballastless bridge deck slabs / Ukrzaliznytsia, 2010
CP 0137 Instructions for installation and operation of ballastless bridge deck (BMP) on reinforced concrete slabs / Ukrzaliznytsia, 2006
CBMES 0004 Instructions on the use of chemical additives for concrete and solutions for general construction and transport purposes / Ukrzaliznytsia, 2006
Contact information: Address: 61050, Kharkiv, pl. Feuerbacha, 7, room 1.412
Scientific leader of the National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, prof. Plugin A.A. Room 1.420, phone (057) 730-10-58, phone/fax (057) 771-46-91 E-mail: plugin_aa@kart.edu.ua; aaplugin@gmail.com
Head of GNDL Ph.D., Assoc. Kalinin O.A. Room 1.231, tel. (057) 730-10-68 E-mail: KALININ@kart.edu.ua
Head of the bridge test group, candidate of technical sciences, Assoc. Lyuty V.A. Room 1.232, tel. (057) 730-10-64 E-mail: LYTYI@kart.edu.ua