An Investigation of Railway Joints Detection Using Train Based Differential Eddy Current Sensor
摘要
Railways are facing significant challenges with the ever-growing demand for transportation, the imperative to reduce carbon emissions, and the need to maintain operational efficiency and safety. However, an increase in rail traffic and load can lead to an increase in degradation of the track components and thus reduce the infrastructure quality. Such degradation leads to failures of components, consequently resulting in a higher frequency of interventions for maintenance and renewal activities. Traditionally, railway track component inspection relies on visual based inspection techniques that are carried out during walking inspections or by using measurement cars. Manual inspections are slow, cost and labour intensive and are prone to human errors. Inspections based on measurement cars are cost intensive and requires track possession and thus cannot be utilised frequently without compromising the operational capacity. Further, the inclement weather conditions, especially in the north of Sweden, inhibits regular inspection based on these visual inspection methods. To overcome these challenges a train based differential eddy current sensor, based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, was developed to monitor railway track components. The sensor system was able to detect fastening system and identify missing clamps within the fastening system during regular operations. The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of using the proposed sensor system to detect railway joints. Railway joints are where two rail segments meet, which makes them a structural weak point, and these are prone to wear, loosening, and misalignment over time. Constant monitoring helps to ensure that the joints maintain their integrity under varying weather conditions, heavy loads, and repeated stress. This paper will investigate the effectiveness of the proposed eddy current sensor to monitor such railway joints realised through laboratory and field measurements.