This document gives the requirements for design of prestressed monoblock concrete sleepers. The primary application is for main-line, standard-gauge (1 435 mm) railways with speeds of up to 300 km/h or axle loads up to 300 kN, but the principles may be valid for other applications. A "standard" design may be considered to be suitable for freight trains of up to 250 kN axle load with 120 km/h maximum speed and passenger trains of up to 180 kN axle load with 300 km/h maximum speed. This document is intended to support but not replace European Standards on this subject, in particular: EN 13230 - Concrete sleepers and bearers (May 2002), EN 13146 - Fastening systems (May 2002). This document represents a State of the Art, at the date of publication, as determined by a UIC expert group and should not be a barrier to further development.