How UST Inc. Developments Will Overcome Challenges of Complex Terrain

Establishing transportation links in areas with hills and valleys, water obstacles, and challenging soil conditions is not easy. Overcoming natural barriers, ensuring the stability of structures, and guaranteeing safety for people in emergency situations are key concerns. Unitsky String Technologies Inc. offers solutions that can tackle all the challenges posed by difficult natural conditions, providing efficient, fast, and reliable transportation along the shortest routes.

Mechanisms for Smooth Ascents

Steep ascents and descents pose serious problems for rail and road transport, necessitating alterations to the terrain for ground roads. For instance, a train is typically limited to slopes of no more than 1.25%. This requires leveling the ground by cutting down hilltops.

The uST transport and infrastructure complexes can operate on any terrain without changing it. This is possible thanks to the design features of unmanned rail electric vehicles (uPods). Special wheel drive materials and various motion transmission schemes, including all-wheel drive, allow for inclines of up to 15%. An additional system to increase the adhesion weight can manage slopes of up to 30%. Furthermore, a specialized uST transport design is optimized for operation on 50% slopes, ensuring a high level of safety and comfort for passengers.

Long Spans and No Bridges

Overcoming water obstacles is challenging for conventional transport. Ground roads require expensive components such as bridges and culverts. In some cases, a possible option is to build underground tunnels; however, they are costly and inefficient in a sparsely populated or remote region.

Thanks to prestressing technology, the supporting towers for the uST elevated track structure can be installed at intervals of 2 km or more. The track will connect riverbanks without the need for additional complex structures on the water. The large spacing also facilitates quick and safe crossings over ravines, gorges, and other challenging terrain features.

Always Stable Supports

The elevated track of the uST complex is reliable even in areas that are potentially flood-prone. The stability of the structure is ensured by high-strength foundations of anchoring structures.

This solution allows for the installation of uST anchoring structures and supporting towers even in swampy areas. Moreover, they do not require complex and costly engineering solutions like high embankments and concrete pads for additional stability. The thermal piles, which allow constructing the route in permafrost conditions, have been developed for northern soils.

In earthquake-prone zones, conventional bridges are equipped with anti-seismic devices, which require constant maintenance and monitoring to ensure their proper functioning. The uST complex eliminates the need for such structures. This is achievable due to the tensioned strings that link the supporting towers, creating a stable system. The track structure remains intact during an earthquake, preserving the integrity of the entire complex. Even if a supporting tower is damaged, it will not collapse, as it will “grips” the track. In such cases, the string rails may sag more but will maintain functionality.

Technologies for Safety Over Water and in Mountains

In the event of an accident involving rail or road transport on a bridge or in a tunnel – the structures typically required in difficult terrain – evacuating people and firefighting can be hampered. On the other hand, thanks to advanced developments, the uST complex built on uneven terrain, ensures passenger safety and cargo security as reliably as a system constructed on a flat surface.

The elevated placement of the track prevents accidents, and the automated control system monitors the environment both inside and outside the uPod. Mechanical failures are highly unlikely, but the rolling stock is equipped with systems for evacuation by other uPods on the line in case of malfunction. Additionally, an emergency electric drive and control system ensure that uST transport stops not just randomly, but in locations where passengers can safely disembark to the ground. This eliminates the risk of being stranded mid-river or above a deep gorge. 

Reliable Transport in Any Terrain

The uST solutions will provide transportation access to regions with challenging conditions: mountainous and canyon areas, permafrost, swampy regions, and water obstacles. The transport and infrastructure complexes, leveraging modern engineering developments, will enable uninterrupted high-speed transportation where it previously seemed very difficult or even impossible to establish. This will be achieved without altering the terrain or requiring costly constructions, preserving the natural environment while ensuring a comfortable and safe journey.