Search Results (5)

The problem of the reproduction of the railway geometric layout in the global spatial system is currently solved in the form of measurements that use geodetic railway networks and also, in recent years, efficient methods of mobile positioning (mainly satellite and inert). The team of authors from the Gdańsk University of Technology and the Maritime University in Gdynia as part of the research project InnoSatTrack is looking for effective and efficient methods for the inventory of railway lines. The research is part of a wider investigation BRIK (Research and Development in Railway Infrastructure, in polish: Badania i Rozwój w Infrastrukturze Kolejowej). This paper presents a comparative analysis of the problem of the reproduction of the trajectory of the measuring system using tacheometry, satellite measurements made using a measurement trolley, and mobile satellite measurements. Algorithms enabling the assessment of the compliance of satellite measurements with classic tacheometric measurements were presented. To this end, the authors held measurement sessions using modern geodetic instruments and satellite navigation on a section of the railway line. The results of the measurements indicate the convergence of the level of accuracy achieved by different measuring techniques. Full article

Satellite geodetic networks are commonly used in surveying tasks, but they can also be used in mobile surveys. Mobile satellite surveys can be used for trackage inventory, diagnostics and design. The combination of modern technological solutions with the adaptation of research methods known in other fields of science offers an opportunity to acquire highly accurate solutions for railway track inventory. This article presents the effects of work carried out using a mobile surveying platform on which Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers were mounted. The satellite observations (surveys) obtained were aligned using one of the methods known from classical land surveying. The records obtained during the surveying campaign on a 246th km railway track section were subjected to alignment. This article provides a description of the surveying campaign necessary to obtain measurement data and a theoretical description of the method employed to align observation results as well as their visualisation. Full article

We present the main assumptions about the algorithmization of the analysis of measurement data recorded in mobile satellite measurements. The research team from the Gdańsk University of Technology and the Maritime University in Gdynia, as part of a research project conducted in cooperation with PKP PLK (Polish Railway Infrastructure Manager), developed algorithms supporting the identification and assessment of track axis layout. This article presents selected issues concerning the identification of a tramway line’s axis system. For this purpose, the supporting algorithm was developed and measurement data recorded using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) techniques was evaluated and analyzed. The discussed algorithm identifies main track directions from multi-device data and repeated position recordings. In order to observe the influence of crucial factors, the investigated route was carefully selected. The chosen tramway track was characterized by its location in various field conditions and a diversified and complex geometric layout. The analysis of the obtained results was focused on the assessment of the signal’s dispersion and repeatability using residuals in relation to the estimated track’s direction. The presented methodology is intended to support railway infrastructure management processes, mainly in planning and maintenance through an efficient inventory of the infrastructure in service. Full article

The railway pantograph carbon contact strip (PCCS) plays a critical role in collecting the electric current from the catenary to guarantee the steady power supply for the train. The catenary contacts with the PCCS and slides from one side to another side when the train runs on the track, which generates the wear on the surface of the PCCS. The thickness of the PCCS cannot be smaller than a lower limit for the sake of safety. Therefore, the remaining useful life (RUL) prediction of the PCCS is beneficial for the pantograph maintenance and inventory management. In this paper, the wear data from Guangzhou Metro are analyzed in the first place. After that, the challenge of predicting the RUL for PCCS from the unequal interval wear data is addressed. A Wiener-process-based wear model and the unequal interval weighted grey linear regression combined model (UIWGLRCM) are proposed for the RUL prediction of the PCCS. The case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method via a comparison of RUL prediction with another available method. Full article

At present, the problem of rail routes reconstruction in a global reference system is increasingly important. This issue is called Absolute Track Geometry, and its essence is the determination of the axis of railway tracks in the form of Cartesian coordinates of a global or local coordinate system. To obtain such a representation of the track centerline, the measurement methods are developed in many countries mostly by the using global navigation satellite system (GNSS) techniques. The accuracy of this type of measurement in favorable conditions reaches one centimeter. However, some specific conditions cause the additional supporting measurements with a use of such instruments as tachymetry, odometers, or accelerometers to be needed. One of the common issues of track axis reconstruction is transforming the measured GNSS antenna coordinates to the target position, i.e., to the place between rails on the level of rail heads. The authors in their previous works described the developed methodology, while this article presents a method of determining the correction of horizontal coordinates for measurements in arc sections of the railway track. The presence of a cant causes the antenna’s center to move away from the track axis, and for this reason, the results must be corrected. This article presents a method of calculation of mentioned corrections for positions obtained from mobile satellite surveying with additional inertial measurement. The algorithm presented in the article and its implementation have been illustrated on an example of a complex geometric layout, where cant transitions exist without transition curves in horizontal plane. Such a layout is not preferable due to the additional accelerations and their changes. However, it allows the verification of the presented methods. Full article