Background:
With the aim to increase
freight capacity, tractional loads and vehicle speed, it is
inevitable that corrugation growth will continue to become more
prevalent throughout the Australian railway networks.
Improved corrugation detection
potentially means improved corrugation management by the below rail
manager which in turn reduces maintenance for the operator i.e.
lower wheel and suspension maintenance, lower internal noise and
greater compliance with noise standards.
Objective:
The project aims to provide means of filtering raw vibration
data from onboard vibration measurement systems for conclusive
identification and quantification of rail corrugation growth.
Project scope:
The project scope includes: a
literature survey of the occurrence of long wavelength corrugations
and collation of Australian field data from railways sources;
development of prototype algorithm for rail corrugation detection
and monitoring based on axle box measurements; and development of
information/severity rating to allow prioritising grinding to
prevent rapid degradation and testing of the prototype under
Australian conditions.
Benefits:
The primary benefits of this project stem from the early
detection of corrugations allowing early correction. This will
inturn ensure profit increases in freight capacity and speed are
achieved. The cost-benefit analysis associated with cost savings in
track degradation due to the present occurrence of long pitch
corrugations along a freight corridor have been estimated by ARTC
to be approximately $4 million/yr alone/
Expected outcomes:
Outcomes of this project
include an analysis method to extract 2000mm
corrugations from axle accelerometer data as well as an analysis
method to allow early detection of corrugations as small as 0.3mm
amplitude. The project will also provide information to allow
prioritising grinding to prevent rapid degradation as well as
validation of analysis methods on some sites using field based
measured rail longitudinal wear profiles.
Project timeframe:
3
Year
Project
Chair:
Malcolm Kerr,
Manager Engineering Standards and Services, Railcorp
Project
Leader:
Dr Paul Meehan, Senior
Lecturer, University of Queensland
Tel: (07) 3365 4320
Email: p.meehan@uq.edu.au
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