Introduction

On 19 Sep 2025, the China Hong Kong Railway Institution (CHKRI) successfully organized a joint seminar titled “Track Vibration Control by Sonnevillie’s Low Vibration Track (LVT) System“. SONNEVILLE AG, previously known as Sonneville International Corporation (S.I.C.), was founded in 1981 to promote worldwide the track system originally created by Mr. Roger Sonneville. Beginning in the 1960s, Mr. Sonneville, working with SBB, developed one of the world’s earliest slab track systems, using booted bi-block ties embedded in concrete. This concept evolved from bi-block ties for ballasted track into today’s booted single-block Low Vibration Track (LVT). Thanks to its excellent performance and S.I.C.’s extensive rail expertise, the LVT system has been installed in three of the five longest railway tunnels globally. To enhance vibration damping beyond standard LVT, S.I.C. developed a next-generation variant called LVT HA (High Attenuation), which helps reduce costs associated with mechanical vibration and noise.

This seminar will cover the standard and technical characteristics of booted single-block Low Vibration Track (LVT). It will also introduce the design and implementation of the LVT system, as well as how can SONNEVILLE AG ensure the reduction of vibration and noise while improving durability, cost effectiveness and emission reduction to the LVT system. 

We are honored to have Mr. Peter Laborenz,  the President of SONNEVILLE AG as our speaker. He is an experienced engineer and a technical expert at SONNEVILLE AG with more than 25 years of experience on railway construction, maintenance and operation. He has long been engaged in the research and development of different trackform. Mr. Peter has also been the managerial role for various track renewal projects in Germany and the leader of slab track division in Switzerland.

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