A research team from UIUC will develop and demonstrate the capability of a nondestructive testing system, comprising measurement hardware, software and an analysis approach, to quantify lateral mechanical track compliance in situ. The measurement approach is based on impulse-driven rail structure vibrations. The hypothesis that underlies the basis of the test approach is that the […]
Author: trapp3@illinois.edu
Combined Grade Crossing Track/Highway Multiphysics Model
The optimal design of grade crossings is a major challenge, as repairing grade crossings causes major delays to both rail and highway transportation systems. To improve the current state-of-the-art, this research project will focus on the development of a finite element model which can be used to simulate the interface between rail track and the […]
Fracture and Fatigue Damage Tolerance of Arc Welded Railhead and Thermite Weld Repairs
Thermite welding is the most widely used technique for in-track welding or replacing a damaged part of a rail. This process produces a Welded Zone (WZ) and a Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) with inhomogeneous microstructures and hardness, resulting in lower mechanical, fracture and fatigue properties of the thermite weld compared with the parent rail. Tuskegee […]
Data Integration and Informatics for Track Asset Management
Rail infrastructure is a critical component of the national economy, with track systems representing some of the most valuable assets in the railroad industry. Key datasets, including track layout data, condition monitoring data, repair and maintenance records, are frequently siloed across departments, limiting their combined utility in streamlining track asset management and safety analyses. This […]
Life-Cycle Cost Assessment of Coastal Rail Infrastructure
Railway corridors are often found in regions with modest grades and grade changes, such as riverbanks and coastal areas, making them prone to storm-induced interruptions and damages. Such incidents include inundation of track structure that causes operational restrictions, damages to rail tracks due to scour in the embankment or ballast, and damages incurred in rail […]
Enhancing Accuracy of Ultrasound Imaging in Detecting Surface Cracks in Metal Using Microbubbles
The railway industry faces challenges in the early detection of fatigue cracks’ profile (e.g., width and depth), which can compromise safety and lead to costly maintenance. Current ultrasonic inspection methods, while widely used, struggle to identify cracks with the width of less than 0.5 mm due to their limited penetration and resolution capabilities. This limitation […]
Risk Based Walking Inspection Frequency Model
Develop a risk based model for visual inspection considering defect occurrence rate, ability and efficiency of inspector, track utilization, etc. as a function of recorded inspection results. Walking inspectors can become complacent or may not be well trained. Defects may be hard to see or missed. This can cause the risk of derailment to increase. […]
Risk Based Track Surfacing Model
As railroads increase use of autonomous track geometry measurement systems, coupled with traditional measurement cars, hy-rail inspection and walking inspection, the reliability of inspection can increase. The additional data captured by autonomous inspection allows for a better understanding of track geometry perturbation growth. The distribution of accuracies associated with alternative inspection methods must be taken […]
Positive Train Control with Asymmetric Authentication and Key Management
Positive Train Control (PTC) is a combination of systems and protocols that provide wireless communication between railroad operations, locomotives, and wayside equipment. Its original purpose is to ensure that trains comply with track speed restrictions and signals by providing this information to a control system inside the locomotive that can take corrective action. Because the […]
Development of a Hybrid Concrete Tie for Increased Rotational Capacity and Resilience
Pre-tensioned concrete railroad ties provide an inherent corrosion resistance of the restressing steel since it is in direct with the high-pH concrete during casting. This high-pH environment causes a thin oxide layer to form on the prestressing steel which, in turn, serves to passivate the steel and prevent further corrosion. This passive layer will then […]