Background:
Rail grinding and
lubrication helps in controlling surface fatigue defects, wear and
noise if applied properly. It is expected to maintain optimal rail
and wheel profile, eliminate corrugations and head-checks, maintain
surface topographies, reduce operating and maintenance cost,
wheel/rail performance and reduce risks of derailments. The primary
objective of this research is to enhance rail and wheel life and
thereby increase the capacity, efficiency and safety for bulk
freight and passenger traffic.
Objective:
The project aim to develop good practice for combined below rail
and above rail decision model for reducing cost, risks and
enhancing rail-wheel life based on rail grinding and wheel-rail
condition monitoring.
Project
scope:
The project will develop the best
practices in rail grinding combining rails and wheels in decision
model to avoid or retard rail wheel wear and fatigue under varying
operating conditions. A condition monitoring system would be also
developed to assess the remaining life and suggest proactive
measures to avoid interruptions to service, early replacements,
derailments and rail disasters.
Benefits:
Key benefit of the project is greater rail and wheel life
as a result of decisions being supported by a comprehensive
decision support tool as well as enhanced rail-wheel life and
reduced operational, maintenance and risk costs to rail industry
partners resulting at least $25 million per year.
Expected outcomes:
Expected outcomes of
this project include guidelines for rail grinding
condition monitoring, wheel condition monitoring and rail-wheel
interaction monitoring, combined below rail and above rail decision
model for enhancing rail-wheel life, compilation of data from
industry partners and available data from overseas as well as
integration simulation software into participants’
infrastructure and rolling stock asset management systems.
Project timeframe:
3
years
Project
Chair:
Michael Turner,
Manager Rail Grinding, Queensland Rail
Project
Leader:
Dr Gopinath Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor in Asset
Management
Faculty of Science, Engineering and Health, Central Queensland
University
Tel: (07) 4970 7602
Email: g.chattopadhyay@cqu.edu.au
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