UIC Leaflet 715: Life-Cycle Costing for Railway Track Infrastructure

What is UIC Leaflet 715?

UIC Leaflet 715 is a strategic document titled “Life-cycle cost (LCC) in the railway sector – Application to the track.” It moves beyond simple procurement costs to evaluate the total economic impact of track components from initial installation through Track Maintenance and eventual decommissioning.

In Infrastructure Management, choosing the cheapest component often leads to higher long-term expenses due to frequent failures or early replacement. UIC 715 provides a standardized mathematical approach to compare different technical solutions (e.g., concrete vs. wood sleepers) based on their total cost over 30 to 60 years.

Methodology and Cost Categories

The leaflet breaks down the LCC of the Permanent Way (P-Way) into four primary phases. Each phase must be quantified to determine the Net Present Value (NPV) of the asset:

• Acquisition Costs: Purchase price of materials (rails, ballast and sleepers) and the initial construction or installation labor.
• Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Costs: Regular inspections, tamping, grinding, and small repairs required to keep the track within safety limits.
• Non-Availability Costs: The financial impact of “possession time” or track closures. This includes the cost of diverting trains or compensation for delays.
• Disposal/Recycling Costs: The expense of removing old materials and the potential revenue from recycling steel rails or crushing old concrete.

Decision Support in Asset Management

UIC 715 is a critical tool for Asset Management. It allows engineers to justify “High-Performance” materials. For example, a premium heat-treated rail may cost 20% more initially, but if it reduces the frequency of rail grinding and doubles the service life, the LCC calculation according to UIC 715 will show it to be the superior economic choice.

The leaflet also emphasizes the link between RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety) and LCC. A more reliable component directly reduces non-availability costs, which are often the highest hidden expense in busy rail corridors.

Factors Influencing Track LCC

The standard highlights that LCC is not static; it depends heavily on operational parameters:

• Axle Load: Higher loads increase the rate of degradation, shortening the life cycle.
• Traffic Volume (MGT): The total Million Gross Tonnes determines the wear and tear on the rail head.
• Line Speed: High-speed lines require tighter tolerances, leading to more frequent maintenance cycles.

Comparison: Typical Life-Cycle Components