Goodbye Glyphosate?

Most people are familiar with some aspects of railway maintenance - replacing rails and sleepers, updating signaling systems and other technichal necessities. But what about keeping the side of the railway free from vegetation?
In2Track3 includes a part where this is being looked into as well.

The vegetation management on the tracks and their surroundings is essential to ensure the safety and regularity of traffic. Too much vegetation gives rise to several potential problems; poorer functionality of train detection systems, poorer visibility for signals and security equipment and also greater risk of fire hazards and people moving too close to the railway, thus putting themselves in danger, to name a few.

In2Track3 partner SNCF-Reseau looks deeper into the problem and potential solutions. Depending on part of the railway and landscape, SNCF-Reseau's vegetation management needs to be done in different ways; on the green outlands, the aim is to maintain a controlled shrub cover on the surroundings areas, with a grassland cover on the close strips. On the track and safety path which is the core of the infrastructure, the aim is to be as close as possible to the zero vegetation for the security reasons mentioned above.

One way to reduce the vegetation is to use pesticides. However, with increasing environmental awareness, new rules come into place, and the pesticides that have traditionally been used need to be replaced with other methods. One way is to find other chemicals that can do the job just as well as the ones now to be forbidden but with less environmental impact, but another way is being investigated as well - The use of Electromagnetic waves.

The tests are just in their first phase, but will be followed up more upon during the project - for SNCF and a better future for us all.

Ground-based photogrammetry on bridges

Ground-based photogrammetry is being used at the Department of Fire and Structural Engineering of Luleå University of Technology to develop 3D Digital models of five railway bridges located in northern Sweden.

Information collected during a survey carried out last October is being analyzed now and three additional surveys are planned to take place this year.
In this way, the results obtained during the different surveys will be compared and the repeatability of the applied procedures to detect damage and changes over time under different weather conditions and equipment specifications will be evaluated.

The work is being conducted by Ali Mirzazade, sub-task coordinator Jaime Gonzalez, and the group at LTU.

WP5 will extend the economical service life of existing structures

Madelene Sandbom is the leader for Work package 5 (WP5) in In2Track3, which deals with tunnels and bridges.
- Most of the projects in WP5 started off already in In2Track1 and now we are beginning to see results, she says.

WP5 is organized in 5 tasks with 3 subtasks each, making a total of 15 tasks. 10 partners are working with the project, where Trafikverket in Sweden is taking a leading role.

2 of the main tasks are researching monitoring and improvement of tunnels. 2 of the tasks are researching monitoring and improvement of bridges. And 1 task works with bridge dynamics and high-speed low-cost bridges.

Madelene Sandbom who is the WP5 leader is confident that the project holds the time schedule.
- We have already delivered the mid-term report and we are keeping the time schedule for the project, Madelene Sandbom says.

The biggest win with the project for Europe is that the railway system will be more effective, safer and cheaper, according to Madelene Sandbom.
- WP5 provides new solutions for monitoring and improvements of tunnels and bridges which will contribute to a more effective maintenance of the railway system with less disturbance in traffic. This will also be more cost efficient because there will be less need to build new, but rather maintain the existing system of tunnels of bridges, she says.

WP5 includes many interesting topics such as new methods to replace damaged lining in railway tunnels, systems for maintaining the drainage system in long tunnels and improvement of bridge service capability, all with minimal impact on traffic.

One specific project that is very interesting are the so called digital twins, ie virtual models that reflects the real life tracks and bridges. In the work package, optical monitoring methods like photogrammetry are used to create visual models of existing structures to be studied and updated over time. This will provide objective information of visible changes in the structure. Also, PORTO and IP in Portugal and KTH in Sweden develop a global framework for a digital twin model integrated with a developed fatigue capability system. This will provide a visualization of a bridge’s state in terms of fatigue damage.

- Now we are reaching the final in the projects in WP5 and we are performing tests in operational tracks, Madelene Sandbom says.

Whole System Model for evaluation of S&C designs

One of the tasks in WP1 in In2Track3 is the development of a so-called Whole System Model (WSM) for switches and crossings (S&C). The WSM is a simulation tool for holistic evaluation of S&C designs.

The purpose of the WSM is to allow for design optimization of S&C to obtain good and durable designs that give low life cycle costs. The WSM is based on physical modelling of the S&C system. Dynamic interaction between S&C and passing vehicles is considered along with loading and deterioration of S&C components over time.

The animation above shows the simulation of dynamic interaction between a bogie and a crossing panel that constitutes a part of the WSM. The red force arrows illustrate the wheel-rail contact forces between the rails and the leading wheels. It can be noted that the wheel that passes over the crossing in the middle of the crossing panel experiences a much more dynamic excitation compared to the outer wheel. This is because of the rail irregularity created by the crossing transition.

Successful collaboration a win-win for all parties

In2Track3 benefits from successful collaboration, Dr. Björn Pålsson at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, states. Together with project partners in Austria  and other colleagues at Chalmers he is developing a simulation framework for simulation-based evaluation of switch and crossing designs, a so-called Whole System Model.

Björn Pålsson is active in Work Package 1 (WP1) in In2Track3 . One of his tasks is the development of a so-called Whole System Model (WSM). It is a simulation tool for the evaluation of switch and crossing (S&C) designs.

- The purpose of the WSM is to allow for design optimization of S&C that can result in good and durable designs that give low life cycle costs before they are built and installed in track, he says.

The WSM is based on physical modelling of the mechanical aspects of the S&C system. Dynamic interaction between S&C and passing vehicles is considered along with loading and deterioration of S&C components over time.

- As it is not feasible for one single model to capture all relevant effects to evaluate the LCC performance of a full S&C, the WSM is a framework that integrates state-of-the-art simulation tools and technique, says Björn Pålsson.

In this project a successful collaboration has formed between three partners in the project: Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and two partners in Austria; Materials Center Leoben (MCL) and Virtual Vehicle (ViF). It is the complexity of the WSM and the expertise required in different areas such as dynamic vehicle-track interaction, track settlement and material modeling that calls for collaboration between project partners.

- While there has been a long-standing collaboration between these partners in EU-projects and other settings, a closer collaboration was initiated in 2020 during In2Track2, Björn Pålsson says.

The project partners are now working on a common WSM and each partner contributes with different models and data.

- Joined together we can develop a more advanced and capable simulation model than any of us would be capable of doing on our own, says Björn Pålsson.

His recipe for a successful collaboration is to have a valuable objective that can best be reached via the integration of complementary skills. The collaboration will then be a natural win-win for all parties as everyone can see that the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

Easy enough to shift out worn-down rail?

How can we renew worn-out rail withouth changing the entire rail? By milling down the worn rail and snapping on a rail cap. In2Track3 is now testing ReRail in operative track, and results are promising!

A new rail system perform a test in real operational environmental in cooperation with In2Track3. The new rail, named ReRail, is approved for test operation by the Swedish Transport Agency. The test started at the end of 2020 at Luleå in track 21 in a curve with a radius of 600 m. ReRail has been installed on both rails. Both ReRail have the worn Iron ore profile (MB1 profile). Connecting standard rail are R350LHT with 60E1 profile on the low rail and MB1 profile on the high rail. The track is operated by iron ore traffic with an axle load of 31 tonnes. The site has been exposed by 20 million gross tonnes.

So far, ReRail has not shown any noticeable wear or crack growth, which has been observed on connecting standard rails.

The idea with ReRail is to replace 10 mm of the rail head with a high-tensile steel rail-cap, by milling the head on the worn-out or new rail and assemble a new rail-cap of high-tensile steel on the old re-milled rail. The rail-cap is “snapped” on and is provided with a tight joint between the two components, see picture. The solution will give opportunity to create more life length and renew worn-out rails on the spot. The rail-cap surface has considerable improved characteristics regarding wear and resistant toward fatigue cracks, than the standard rail. Tests show that the expected life length ought to be doubling.

By using the ReRail system a large amount of rail can be saved. To replace all worn out rail in Europe today gives a carbon dioxide discharge of 4 million tons/year. Recycling the rail with ReRail reduces the discharge to 0.6 million tons/year (-85%). Considering the useful life of ReRail, the discharge is reduced to 0.3 million tons/year (-92%). This means that corresponding amount carbon dioxide can be saved. For the global world market it means a saving of 4 million tons carbon dioxide every year. Even the steel is a finite resource that should be handled with care. Few believe that we can economize the steel the same way in the future.

Sensor sleepers being tried in Vienna

More work done within In2Track3 project, now from our partner Getzner in Austria on a new elastomer solution. Newly implemented elastomer solutions from Getzner lower the ballast degradation in the installed next-generation demonstrator turnouts near Vienna.

The elastic component solutions made from Sylomer® and Sylodyn® are expected to significantly improve the long-term behavior of the turnouts compared to the present state-of-the-art. The Sensor Sleepers from Getzner Werkstoffe allow the load distribution between the ballast and sleeper to be measured directly on the underside of the sleeper.

Thin sensors measure the loads and contact pressure as the trains pass over; the valuable data can then be processed and stored in the cloud. Getzner Werkstoffe has set itself the task of adding the emerging technical developments in the digitalization field regarding measurement and monitoring innovations to its capabilities.

This is done with regard to their elastomer solutions in order to maximize the benefit of track responsibilities and railway operators – on the track and in turnouts.

In2Track3 is absolutely necessary

Meet Anders Ekberg, the technical scientific coordinator in In2Track3. He is deeply engaged in the project and is looking forward to disseminating more results from it. 
- The results from In2Track3 are absolutely necessary in order to be able to accomplish a functional railway in Europe in the future, he says.

Anders Ekberg is the technical and scientific coordinator for Trafikverket in In2Track3. His workplace on a daily basis is at Chalmers university in Göteborg, Sweden, where he works as professor. His specialty is wheelsets and tracks. The role of Anders Ekberg in the project is scientific and technical coordinator for the whole European project In2Track3.

- My role is very clear in the project In2Track3. Everything that concerns technical issues goes to me. Whilst all issues concerning economics, administration, contracts et cetera goes to Pernilla Edlund, who is Coordinator, he says.

Anders has been involved in previous projects in Shift2Rail, and has been involved in the specific project In2Track3 since it started in January 2021.

- My assignment now is to keep in contact with the partners, the technical management team, and managers of the WPs. I also have the overall responsibility to check that work is not duplicated in different parts of the project, and that the quality level of project reports et cetera has the same high level throughout the project. 

How would you describe the project In2Track3?
-It’s about how to improve the railway in all of Europe. Technically, it deals with switches and crossings, tracks, and tunnels and bridges. The plan is to use results from the project in railways throughout Europe. We will present new products and new processes during the coming years. 

Is there something new in this project compared to railway projects during the previous years?
- I would say that today there is a greater focus on environmental issues. If we go back to 1970, 80, 90 there was a mentality of wear and tear, tear down and build new. But today there is more life cycle thinking, and we talk much more about recycling, reusing, and maintenance to prolong operational life. I see it also when it comes to financing of maintenance of railways. The budget for this has increased in many countries. 

What is the status of the In2Track3-project right now?
- Now, after one year in operation, the first deliverables are beginning to come. This is also the case for the first demonstrators. We look very much forward to this.

What would you say is the big win from In2Track3 in 5 years time?
- Now, after the pandemic, people are going back to travel and the traffic volumes increase on railways again. This means that we have to put more trains on tracks that in many cases are crowded and heavily loaded already. The results from In2Track3 will be absolutely necessary to be able to accomplish this, says Anders Ekberg.

Turnout that addresses several challenges

A turnout demonstrator in the In2Track3 project, that addresses more than one challenge;
- Rolling Contact Fatigue
- Ballast destruction
- Wear
- Load distribution
and more, is installed in Liesing, Vienna. Several innovations are included in the turnouts, and measurements are being compared to reference turnouts.

What innovations are in the demo you may ask? And here is the answer:
• Enhanced cast crossing design
• Enhanced S&C bearer design
• Enhanced fastening system ERL NG
• Enhanced stock- & switch rails
• Self-detecting switch rail
• Bearer coupling system
• Point machine ECOSTAR
• Polygon setting device
• Locking device SPHEROLOCK NG
• Hollow bearer
• Monitoring and Diagnostic system RML 4.0

Measurements are done over long and short campaigns as well as permanent measures to validate the design.
Want more info? Contact voestalpine Railway Systems, the project partner working with this.

RailEye - optical measurement of the rail

What is RailEye? It is an optical sensor system for defining and categorising the friction level on the rail surface out in the field. It is a technology developed in part within the In2Track3 project and is expected to reach a TRL level of 7 (tested in operational environment).

Successful field test have been carried out, with the aim to investigate the possibility of real time monitoring of contaminants on the rail with an optical sensor mounted on train. The tests were carried out by Luleå university of technology for Trafikverket with the help of Malmbanansvänner.

Detection and monitoring of scour

A new approach is being developed for detection and monitoring of scour, based on excitation from moving loads, by measuring the structural responses which is affected by the boundary condition of the structure. Data from accelerometers placed in the train will be collected over several passes and analysed in order to identify scour problems.

Swedish article on Vehicle Dynamics results from the project

See the link

In the Swedish railway online magazine jarnvagar.nu, an article was published based on the work done in In2Track2 and In2Track3 regarding Vehicle dynamics in the aspect of riding comfort.

The article describes the identified problems with the wheel-rail interface and the results from research made by infrastructure owners and train operators in collaboration.

The article is only available in Swedish.

https://jarnvagar.nu/taghjul-slits-mer-pa-bra-spar/