Storms and other extreme weather events are a major threat to the safety of railroad substructures and major railroad bridges. Flood or surge induced bridge collapses, such as the North Sioux City rail bridge collapse in June 2024, can cause long-term disruption to the railroad network and significant financial losses (Jones, 2024, KTIV news). From […]
Category: Project Abstracts
Improving Rail Safety: Effect of highway rail-grade crossing type (short storage) and cognitive load on driver decisions
Rail safety research faces challenges as driver decision behavior at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs) has changed in counterproductive ways (FRA, 2020). One example of such an undesired shift is the increased percentage of crashes that take place at HRGCs equipped with active warning devices. Instead of eliminating the crashes at such locations, motorists have shifted […]
Micromechanics of Fresh and Fouled Railway Ballast
The long-term performance of ballasted railway tracks is strongly influenced by the degradation of ballast, which compromises stability, drainage, and lateral resistance. Ballast, a coarse angular aggregate placed beneath and around sleepers, is designed to distribute loads, provide stability, and facilitate drainage. However, repeated train loading, tamping during maintenance, and environmental factors gradually break down […]
Comparing Freight Rail Propulsion Strategies for Efficient and Economical US Mainline Operations
North American freight railroads uniquely combine safety, speed and efficiency in transporting large amounts of freight long distances over land. Prompted by railroad commitments to reduce emissions, and looming stricter in-use locomotive regulations, US freight railroads face the challenge of reducing or eliminating the roughly 3 billion gallons of diesel fuel consumed each year. To […]
Optimizing Efficiency and Cost of Innovative Strategies for Freight Rail Motive Power Energy Supply
North American freight railroads uniquely combine safety, speed and efficiency in transporting large amounts of freight long distances over land. Prompted by railroad commitments to reduce emissions, and looming stricter in-use locomotive emissions regulations, US freight railroads face the challenge of reducing or eliminating the roughly 3 billion gallons of diesel fuel consumed each year. […]
Rail Defect Detection System Based on Non-contact Vibration Measurements
The long-term goal of this research is to develop a continuous, non-contact rail monitoring system for high-speed defect detection. Railroads play a vital role in the safety, prosperity, and well-being of our communities and businesses. However, due to increases in train speeds and axle loads that are being applied to aging and deteriorating railroad tracks, […]
Strengthening the Railway Track Lateral Resistance by Reinforcing Ballast with Architected Instability-based Metamaterials (AIMs)
Preventing rail buckling is critical for maintaining railway safety, especially in high-temperature or fluctuating environmental conditions. Adequate lateral resistance is essential to avoid this issue, as thermal expansion in rails can lead to severe track misalignment and potential derailments. This project introduces a novel solution by employing temperature-responsive Architected Instability-based Metamaterials (AIMs) to reinforce ballast […]
Field Ballast Condition Evaluation Using Machine Vision and Artificial Intelligence
Ballast plays an important role in supporting the railroad track structure against repeated loading. Ballast degradation causes poor drainage, lateral instability, and excessive settlement, and may lead to service interruptions and safety concerns. Therefore, utilizing efficient methods for evaluating ballast degradation ensures safe railroad operations. Traditional visual inspection is subjective and field sampling followed by […]
Quantifying Lateral Track Capacity Using Nondestructive Nonlinear Vibration Response
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 […]
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 […]