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Track Stability Management

Project Manager:

Nirmal Mandal

Sponsor Organisations:

  • CRC for Rail Innovation
  • ARTC
  • QR
  • Railcorp

Staff Members:

  • Prof Masud Khan
  • Prof. Gopinath Chattopadhyay
  • Dr Mohammad Rasul

Objectives

Prediction model for rail temperature based on incident radiation, track situation - conductive/convective environment.

Development of a practical combination of methods to manage track buckling risks and speed restriction settings.

Background

The stability of track, as influenced by changes in rail temperature, is a significant safety risk and business risk to Australian railways. If track buckles or rail breaks due to inadequate rail stress adjustment the outcome can be and often is derailment. Managing the risk typically involves the use of temporary speed restrictions that can be imposed over whole networks e.g. capital city metro or corridors which has a major impact on train transit times and customers operating “just in time” supply chain arrangements.

Outcomes

Modelling for the prediction of rail temperature for comparison with rail neutral temperature and estimating future prediction of rail surface temperature.

Modelling of axial forces in the rail due to the change of ambient temperature combined with dynamic wheel loads (traction, braking, curving and vertical dynamics).

Development of a Management System for Track Stability which includes alerts for buckling risk of the rail along with a speed restriction setting methodology based on track and predicted traffic and meteorological conditions.