UST: News

We have repeatedly heard from the General designer of SkyWay Technologies Co. Anatoly Yunitskiy the comparison of existing features of SkyWay transport with those that can be achieved in case of using ultra-modern composite materials. Many have already got used to it and perceived the use of carbon fiber plastics, Kevlar and others like them as a fairly distant prospect.

However, as it often happens, Dr. Yunitskiy managed to surprise us by starting the actual testing of carbon fiber slats to study their possible application as a tensioned element in the track structure. And yes, you have understood correctly, they will exercise the function of strings! The work is in process at the Center for scientific research and testing of building structures under the Belarusian National Technical University.

Construction of EcoTechnoPark continues as planned, however, as it turned out, the staff of SkyWay Technologies Co. proceeds at the same time with constant work for the future!

What will happen to the existing technology? Why is a new one being developed? Will it be more costly and how will it affect the welfare of the project's partners?

All the details are in the proposed video interview with the General designer of SkyWay Technologies Co. Anatoly Yunitskiy.

Translation of the video:

Mikhail Kirichenko: Today's interview with Anatoly Yunitskiy is rather unexpected. To my opinion, it opens a qualitatively new stage in our Company's development. Moreover, we are doing it in a premise that we have never visited before. Am I right, Anatoly?

Anatoly Yunitskiy: Yes, you are. We are now in the room, where one of the Design Bureaus works. They are engaged in making projects on SkyWay overpass element and its track structure. Now we are going to use some high-strength materials instead of steel to use as a string in design variants at EcoTechnoPark and in targeted projects.

M.K.: That's just the point that I meant while speaking about the qualitatively new stage of development. Does it mean that while using conventional materials, like steel, the distance between anchor supports is 3 km, but if we use the modern materials, like those we are testing now, a 5-km distance is not a problem?

A.Y.: It's not a matter of anchor supports. Let me draw a scheme of a sagging track structure. Imagine this is a mountain and a canyon. Another mountain across. We install a support, not necessarily an anchor one. It may be an intermediate support. Another one is on the other mountain and we have a track structure between them. It is stretched and passes on. It is the so-called sagging track structure. The sag (deflection) under its own weight may be very large. The formula to determine the sag is very simple. "f" equals to "q l²" divided by 8. "q" is the weight of a running meter of the track structure, "l" is the span length, and "8 T₀" is the tension at a certain temperature. You can see that "l" is squared, therefore, if we increase the span twice, the sag will increase by 4 times. If it is thrice, then 9 times. If 5, then 25 times. If steel structures are used, the sag may reach hundreds of meters with a steel string. There is also tension here. The more is the tension, the less is the sag. However, the dependence is linear here. The design tension for steel applied for bridges and allowed by standards is normally 10,000 kg per cm². It is the general standard to ensure 1.5-2 times reserve of strength. If we take high-strength materials, like Kevlar, carbon fiber plastics, nano-material, etc., they will provide an operating tension of 50,000 kg per cm². In addition, an important feature is the price/quality ratio. Naturally, the materials should not be expensive. Otherwise, we shall build a very expensive route. Therefore, we select here not only features of strength, but also those of cost. The financial component is also very important. One more important point. We also have here the weight of a running meter. For steel it is 8.75 gram per cm³ or 8.75 ton per m³. The volume weight of high-strength composite materials is 3-4 times less. So, we can increase tension and reduce weight with them. Thus, we can decrease sags tenfold. If we used steel in certain places with sags of several hundred meters, in this case it will be dozens of meters. It allows to make a span of up to 5 km long, and in some cases - up to 7 km. Therefore, we can pass by mountain tops in highlands. We could overcome high mountains passing by their tops only.

M.K.: Super news! I would say even sensational news! Perhaps, in addition to theoretical explanations we could see something in reality?

A.Y.: Here are the results of the tests. We were testing not only the material itself. You see, it was broken. These are fixtures. They will be different in the track structure. These ones were used just for tests. Here are several options of fixtures. With glue, mechanical bracing. You see, the ribbon is broken here. And here it is elongated. In this one, it is elongated, too. It is due to a different fixture. It does not mean these fixtures will be used. We do not show everything. We do not always show the right materials. We usually show the worst things. The best things are a know-how. Our competitors should not know it. Therefore, we do not speak about everything and explain everything. We can speak about some general aspects.

M.K.: Thank you very much, Anatoly. I wish you success at the new stage of the Company's development. "You" means all of us. I offer you to sign up to our YouTube channel. Stay tuned to the news update at our official website. Support our project and everything will be all right with you and us.