Data-driven ballast layer degradation identification and maintenance decision based on track geometry irregularities

Ballast layer defects are the primary cause for rapid track geometry degradation. Detecting these defects in real-time during track inspections is urgently needed to ensure safe train operations. To achieve this, an indicator, the track degradation rate (TDR) was proposed. This rate is calculated using track geometry inspection data to locate...

Ballast fouling inspection and quantification with ground penetrating radar (GPR)

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been applied for ballast layer inspection for two decades, mainly for the analysis of ballast layer fouling levels. However, some issues that affect the inspection quality remain unsolved, such as issues involving the GPR equipment quality (antenna) and the correlation between the GPR indicator and fouling...