Rail Infrastructure Resilience

A Best-Practices Handbook

1st Edition - June 27, 2022
Editors: Rui Calcada, Sakdirat Kaewunruen
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 1 0 4 2 - 0
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 1 0 4 3 - 7

Economic growth, security and sustainability across Europe are at risk due to ageing railway infrastructure systems. At present, the majority of such systems are aging and some… Read more

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Economic growth, security and sustainability across Europe are at risk due to ageing railway infrastructure systems. At present, the majority of such systems are aging and some have even reached their initial design lives. These issues align with a major challenge in civil engineering: how to restore and improve urban infrastructure and built environments. Policy, environmental and physical barriers must be addressed and overcome. The complex and interconnected nature of the problem means that there is a need for academia, industry, communities and governments to work collaboratively. The challenges posed by extreme events from natural and man-made disasters are urgent.

Rail Infrastructure Resilience: A Best-Practices Handbook presents developed improvement methods for rail infrastructure systems, toward resilience to extreme conditions. It shows how best to use new information in the engineering design, maintenance, construction and renewal of rail infrastructure resilience, through knowledge exchange and capability development. The book presents the outcome of a major European research project, known as the RISEN project. RISEN aimed to enhance knowledge creation and transfer using both international and intersectoral secondment mechanisms among European Advanced Rail Research Universities and SMEs, and Non-EU, leading rail universities, providing methodological approaches and practical tools for restoring and improving railway infrastructure systems for extreme events. Edited and written by members of this project, this book will be essential reading for researchers and practitioners hoping to find practical solutions to the challenges of rail infrastructure resilience.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Contributors
About the Editors
Foreword
Acknowledgments
1: Introduction
Abstract
1.1: Background
1.2: Railway infrastructure resilience
1.3: Advanced condition monitoring
1.4: Conclusions
References
2: Railway vulnerability and resilience
Abstract
Acknowledgments
2.1: Railway system vulnerability and resilience analyses
2.2: Methodologies for railway vulnerability and resilience
2.3: Railway vulnerability and resilience practices in Chinese cities
2.4: Conclusions
References
3: Rail resilience to climate change: Embedding climate adaptation within railway operations
Abstract
3.1: Introduction
3.2: Best practice in climate adaptation and resilience
3.3: Rail Adapt Framework for climate change adaptation
3.4: Conclusions
References
4: Rail transport resilience to demand shocks and COVID-19
Abstract
4.1: Introduction
4.2: Rail transport demand shocks
4.3: Impacts of COVID-19 on rail demand and supply
4.4: Rail system resilience
4.5: Supply losses
4.6: Demand spikes
4.7: Demand losses
4.8: Increasing demand loss resilience
4.9: Concluding remarks
References
5: Management of railway stations exposed to a terrorist threat
Abstract
5.1: Introduction
5.2: Previous studies
5.3: Security risk analysis
5.4: Managing terrorism risk
5.5: The technology and terrorist threat
5.6: Emergency and preincident management
5.7: Conclusion
References
6: Rail infrastructure systems and hazards
Abstract
6.1: Extreme temperature
6.2: Earthquakes
6.3: Flooding
6.4: Summary
References
7: Wheel-rail dynamic interaction
Abstract
7.1: Introduction
7.2: Modeling of wheel-rail dynamic interaction
7.3: Detection and maintenance
References
8: Wheel-rail interface under extreme conditions
Abstract
8.1: Introduction into the wheel-rail interface
8.2: Basics of the wheel-rail contact
8.3: The wheel-rail interface under extreme conditions
References
9: Train and track interactions
Abstract
Acknowledgments
9.1: Introduction: An overview of train and track interactions
9.2: Models of train and track interactions
9.3: Vehicle-track interaction due to differential subgrade settlement
9.4: Vehicle-track interaction due to polygonal wheel under traction condition
9.5: Vehicle-track interaction under extreme weather conditions
9.6: Conclusions
References
10: Approaches for weigh-in-motion and wheel defect detection of railway vehicles
Abstract
Acknowledgments
10.1: Introduction
10.2: Propose approaches to obtain WIM and wheel defect detection
10.3: Numerical modeling
10.4: Results and discussion
10.5: Conclusion
References
11: Railway ground-borne vibrations: Comprehensive field test development and experimental validation of prediction tools
Abstract
Acknowledgments
11.1: Introduction
11.2: Experimental characterization of the Carregado test site
11.3: Numerical modeling of ground-borne vibrations
11.4: Experimental validation
11.5: Conclusions
References
12: Lateral resistance of different sleepers for the resilience of CWR tracks
Abstract
12.1: Introduction
12.2: Fastening/sleeper resistance
12.3: The effect of ballast specifications on the lateral resistance
12.4: Influence of the sleeper type and shape on lateral resistance
12.5: Numerical assessment of sleeper lateral resistance
12.6: Ballast components contribution to lateral resistance for different sleepers
12.7: Conclusion
References
13: Diagnostics and management methods for concrete sleepers
Abstract
13.1: Sleeper design process
13.2: Prestressed concrete railway sleeper subject to dynamic load
13.3: Fatigue assessment for prestressed concrete sleeper
13.4: Rail seat abrasion
13.5: Time-dependent behavior of prestressed concrete sleepers
13.6: Summary
References
14: Railway ballast
Abstract
14.1: Introduction
14.2: Ballast degradation
14.3: Ballast inspection and assessment
References
15: Railway turnouts and inspection technologies
Abstract
Acknowledgments
15.1: Introduction
15.2: Components of turnouts
15.3: Inspection
15.4: Maintenance
15.5: Lifecycle cost
15.6: Conclusions
References
16: Risk-based maintenance of turnout systems
Abstract
16.1: Introduction
16.2: Railway turnouts
16.3: Identification of a risk analysis method
16.4: Establishment of risk-based maintenance
16.5: Environmental impact consideration into a maintenance chain
16.6: Concluding remarks
References
17: Railway bridge under increased traffic demands
Abstract
17.1: Introduction
17.2: Monitoring program
17.3: Processing data
17.4: Analysis of results
17.5: Conclusion
References
18: Structural health monitoring strategy for damage detection in railway bridges using traffic induced dynamic responses
Abstract
Acknowledgments
18.1: Introduction
18.2: Literature review on SHM for damage detection
18.3: Railway bridge over the Sado River
18.4: Strategy for damage detection using train induced dynamic responses
18.5: Conclusions
References
19: Improved dynamic resilience of railway bridges using external dampers
Abstract
Acknowledgments
19.1: Dampers for structural vibration mitigation
19.2: Equation of motion for a bridge with viscous damper
19.3: Real-time hybrid simulation and testing
19.4: Response of the bridge-damper systems
19.5: Laboratory testing of an FVD
19.6: Comparison of damper performance
19.7: Conclusions
References
20: Responses of mast structure and overhead line equipment (OHLE) subjected to extreme events
Abstract
20.1: Introduction
20.2: Maintenance criteria
20.3: Vibration characteristics of OHLE
20.4: OHLE under harsh environment
20.5: Summary
References
21: Reliability quantification of the overhead line conductor
Abstract
Acknowledgments
21.1: Introduction
21.2: Concept of reliability analysis
21.3: Load calculations
21.4: Results and discussions
21.5: Conclusions
Data availability
References
Index

Rui Calcada

Professor Rui Calcada is Full Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto, in Portugal, Head of the Civil Engineering Department, and Coordinator of the CSF-Centre of Competence in Railways. He is a Member of the Scientific Council of FEUP, and a Member of the Management Board of the R&D unit CONSTRUCT, in the Institute of R&D in Structures and Construction. He received his PhD and Habillation in civil engineering from the University of Porto. His research focusses include advanced models for analysis of the train-infrastructure dynamic interaction; dynamic effects on bridges and transition zones; fatigue assessment for railway bridges; track-structure interaction; condition monitoring systems; and advanced algorithms for condition assessment of railway infrastructure. He is the Principle Investigator of 12 major research projects. He currently works on the European Commission’s RISEN Project (Rail Infrastructure Systems Engineering Network), which has received funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 program.

Affiliations and expertise

Professor, Civil Engineering Department and Coordinator of the Centre of Competence in Railways, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Portugal

Sakdirat Kaewunruen

Dr Sakdirat Kaewunruen is Senior Lecturer in Railway and Civil Engineering in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham in the UK. He is also Coordinator of the RISEN project. He has extensive industry experience in the field of structural, civil and track engineering both in industry and academia. With over 14 years in the rail industry and regulatory environments prior to joining academia, he has an array of research interests, including rail engineering, track design, track components, structural and geotechnical engineering, maintenance and construction. He received his PhD in civil engineering from the University of Wollongong in Australia, and has also completed an Emerging Leader Program with the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He coordinates the EU-funded RISEN project and is a CI of S-CODE. He has lead numerous projects, sits on various industry committees, and has published widely in the field.

Affiliations and expertise

Senior Lecturer in Railway and Civil Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, Gisbert Kapp Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK

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