In the process of railway construction, we often encounter two different wood choices: plain sleepers and anti-corrosion sleepers. Perhaps what people don't know is that untreated wooden sleepers that maintain their natural wood nature are more afraid of direct sunlight exposure compared to black anti-corrosion sleepers that have undergone anti-corrosion treatment. This seems to be an illogical phenomenon, as we all know that dark colors are more likely to absorb heat from sunlight, and theoretically, black anti-corrosion sleepers are more affected by exposure to sunlight. In fact, this is not the case. Qingdao Tiehan will analyze from a professional perspective why black anti-corrosion sleepers are more sun resistant than untreated plain sleepers.
Firstly, let's understand the basic characteristics of plain sleepers and anti-corrosion sleepers. Plain sleepers, as the name suggests, are natural wood processed into specified specifications and sizes for use as sleepers. The surface presents the color of natural wood without any artificial coating. This type of sleeper is relatively cheap, but has a short service life and is easily damaged by the natural environment. In contrast, the anti-corrosion sleepers are soaked in anti-corrosion oil through special processes, resulting in a dark color on the surface. This treatment process greatly improves the anti-corrosion and insect resistance of wood, enabling it to maintain a good working condition for a long time in harsh environments.
So, why are black anti-corrosion sleepers better able to resist the sun's exposure? We can start with the microstructure of the wood itself. Natural wooden sleepers have no protective layer on the surface, and even the outer skin of the logs has been peeled off, exposing the wood directly to the external environment. When strong ultraviolet rays are irradiated, the wood will gradually become dry due to the loss of moisture, leading to cracking and deformation of the wood. Over time, the more severely cracked wooden sleepers will lose their original toughness.
Although black anti-corrosion sleepers are easier to absorb heat than plain sleepers, we also need to be aware that the heat absorbed by sunlight is not enough to have a significant impact on anti-corrosion sleepers. Because during the production process of anti-corrosion sleepers, oil immersion anti-corrosion treatment is carried out in a high temperature and high pressure environment. The temperature in the anti-corrosion tank can reach 80-90 degrees, and the temperature exposed to sunlight is naturally insignificant compared to it.
The anti-corrosion sleepers treated with anti-corrosion have excellent waterproof ability on the outer layer of the wood. Therefore, the moisture inside the sleepers is not easily lost under direct sunlight, thereby reducing the possibility of cracking caused by exposure.
We know that the environment along the railway is very bad, not only because of the sun exposure, but also because of rainstorm, ice and snow and other natural disasters. If using plain sleepers, once encountering heavy rain or snow, the surface of the wood will absorb moisture, thereby accelerating decay. However, anti-corrosion sleepers are completely different. Their anti-corrosion layer can effectively block the penetration of moisture and maintain their normal internal state even in humid environments. This not only greatly extends the service life, but also provides reliable guarantee for the normal operation of the railway.
The reason why anti-corrosion sleepers are more resistant to sunlight than plain sleepers is that they have excellent waterproof and anti-corrosion properties. This not only greatly extends the service life of anti-corrosion sleepers, but also provides a solid guarantee for the construction of infrastructure such as railways.
