Detection of Rail Surface Defects based on Axle Box Acceleration Measurements: A Measurement Campaign in Sweden

This work presents the results of a measurement campaign to demonstrate the effectiveness of the axle box acceleration (ABA) technology for detecting rail defects. The measurements were conducted along the Iron Ore line between Sweden and Norway for the IN2TRACK3 project. This line is mostly single-track with passenger-freight mixed traffic and...

Continual learning for surface defect segmentation by subnetwork creation and selection

We introduce a new continual (or lifelong) learning algorithm called LDA-CP &S that performs segmentation tasks without undergoing catastrophic forgetting. The method is applied to two different surface defect segmentation problems that are learned incrementally, i.e., providing data about one type of defect at a time, while still being...

Methodology for the prediction of the strength of naturally aged glass based on surface flaw characterization

Flat glass is a material which is used extensively in almost all the buildings, mainly as infill for windows or facade panels. However, neither glass production nor its recycling are sustainable processes, as both incorporate the use of gas furnaces, which produce high amounts of CO2 emissions. Thus, the re-use of glass seems the only way to...

Comparisons between beam and continuum models for modelling wheel-rail impact at a singular rail surface defect

A singular rail or wheel surface irregularity, such as a squat, insulation joint or wheel flat, can cause large wheelrail impact force. Both the magnitude and frequency content of the impact force need to be correctly modelledbecause they are closely related to the formation, deterioration and detection of such irregularities. In this paper,we...

Quantitative assessment of structural components for construction management using laser scanning data

Defects in a construction site is inevitable and these defects must be inspected and reported timely to minimize extract cost due to repair the defects. However, in practice, quality of structural elements is often inspected by a site supervisor with traditional tools (e.g. measuring tapes, total stations or levelling) at only specific locations...

A framework to extract structural elements of construction site from laser scanning

This paper proposes a framework to automatic extract structural elements of reinforced concrete buildings from laser scanning data, which can be used in dimensional quality control and surface defect identification. The framework deploys both spatial information of a point cloud and contextual knowledge of building structures to extract the...

Intelligent rail maintenance decision support system using KPIs

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) enable the infrastructure manager to keep the performance quality of the infrastructure at an acceptable level. A KPI must include specific features of the infrastructure such as functionality and criticality. The KPIs can be classified into three performance levels: (1) technical level KPIs; (2) tactical level...

Repairing surface defects of metal parts by groove machining and wire + arc based filling

An approach to repairing surface defects of metal parts is proposed, which includes a combined application of (i) groove machining, (ii) wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), and (iii) finishing machining. The completed analysis revealed that (i) the inclination angle of the groove to be machined is strongly influenced by the...

A decision support approach for condition-based maintenance of rails based on big data analysis

In this paper, a decision support approach is proposed for condition-based maintenance of rails relying on expert-based systems. The methodology takes into account both the actual conditions of the rails (using axle box acceleration measurements and rail video images) and the prior knowledge of the railway track. The approach provides an...

Influencing factors for condition-based maintenance in railway tracks using knowledge-based approach

In this paper, we present a condition-based maintenance decision method using<br/>knowledge-based approach for rail surface defects. A railway track may contain a considerable number of surface defects which influence track maintenance decisions. The proposed method is based on two sets of maintenance decision factors i.e. (1) defect detection...

A big data analysis approach for rail failure risk assessment

Railway infrastructure monitoring is a vital task to ensure rail transportation safety. A rail failure could result in not only a considerable impact on train delays and maintenance costs, but also on safety of passengers. In this article, the aim is to assess the risk of a rail failure by analyzing a type of rail surface defect called squats...

An approach to determine a critical size for rolling contact fatigue initiating from rail surface defects

A methodology for the determination of a critical size of surface defects, above which RCF can initiate, has been developed and demonstrated with its application to the passive type of squats under typical Dutch railway loading conditions. Such a methodology is based on stress evaluation of transient rolling contact at the defects, for which...

On local panel distortions due to hot-curing adhesives

For many joining applications, adhesive bonding is the favoured method. It provides the ability to join dissimilar materials such as metals and plastics. Adhesive bonds can be formed over large flange areas subsequently increasing the overall stiffness of the assembly. In some cases, however, the bonding process can lead to distortions, i.e....

Automatic detection of squats in railway infrastructure

This paper presents an automatic method for detecting railway surface defects called “squats” using axle box acceleration (ABA) measurements on trains. The method is based on a series of research results from our group in the field of railway engineering that includes numerical simulations, the design of the ABA prototype, real-life...

Dutch standard for condition assessment of buildings

Purpose – This paper aims to provide insight into the use of a standard for condition assessment. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a literature review, an analysis of the development, content and practical use of the Dutch Standard for Condition Assessment of Buildings, and the findings of several research projects about...