DYNMEASURE

Railway dynamic measuring systems-applications for use

Project information

Acronym: DYNMEASURE
Railway dynamic measuring systems-applications for use
Project start date: 10/02/2022
Project duration: 36 months
Project director: Christian Chavanel
Project manager: Marcos da Conceição
Status: ongoing project
Project code: 2021/RSF/703

Project description

This project aims at defining a frame of application of the different measuring systems at trackside and on-board involving railway dynamics and interactions between different technical subsystems.

In an innovative, holistic and integrated way, instead of working just on an only infrastructure-based or vehicle detectors proposal, this project aims to find the right frame of application of the different measuring systems at trackside and on-board involving railway dynamics and interactions between different technical subsystems, especially regarding the operational conditions of the railway services.

This in line with the vision and goals included in the Challenge 2050 which are all underpinned by the steps taken in the core rail system fields of policy, technology and providing services. These apply across the whole vision, overlap and come together to enhance the overall attractiveness of rail to the customer. To reach the technological goals for the field of safety, new operational and track engineering techniques must be commonplace, while intelligent infrastructure, rolling stock and other system components need to be autonomously measured in real time.

Regarding this topic into the RTSE, real-time measuring systems for the infrastructure and vehicles using sensors connected within an internet of railway things would enable to respond to the flexibility of changing market demands and operational conditions, improving also predictive maintenance decision-making processes.

The activities of the TTI Sector, within the UIC Rail System Department, aim to improve the operational, economic, and environmental efficiency of the railway system, to improve interoperability and to ensure safety of the railway system.

Project objectives

The objective of this project will be to determine which type of measuring system(s) is the most fitting and efficient in terms of techniques to be applied, depending on the operational conditions of a railway service, to determine the status of a correct vehicle-track interaction interface between infrastructure and rolling stock.

Wayside equipment detectors and measuring stations are normally providing data in a non-continuous way. Among different type of systems, we can find the most common used such as WILDs (Wheel Impact Load Detectors), WIMs (Weight in Motion Devices), HABDs (Hot Axel-Box Detectors), HWD (Hot wheel detections) but also, lately, profile clearance gauge or noise measuring ones.

This might be very useful for both railway vertical integrated companies, railway undertakings or wagon keepers. However, in some scenarios there is still a lack of bilateral communication of significant data between IMs, RUs and industry. This especially affects to the feedback to be received by the IMs, vital to inform on evolution of the health status of their own infrastructure assets.

Project structure

The main phases included in this project will be the following:
WP1: Benchmark studies

Market analysis, user needs and obstacles,
Benchmarking on state-of-the-art technologies for dynamic interaction measurement,
Update of research projects for dynamic interaction techniques,
Main Cost Drivers and Influence on Track Access Charges.

WP2: Infrastructure and Vehicle requirements assessment