Managing rail corrugation through modelling, simulation, and instrumentation technologies

Rail corrugation is a common rail roughness phenomenon that can deteriorate the reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety of rail transportation. Detection of rail corrugation via the human eyes are labour-intensive and time-consuming. Furthermore, treatment of rail corrugation through routine rail grinding does not stop corrugation from recurring. To better control and monitor rail corrugation growth, this paper (1) reviews and discusses various causes and contributing factors of rail corrugation, as well as (2) compares and contrasts different direct and indirect technologies for measuring rail corrugation. The contributing factors include track system and geometry; rail metallurgy, padding and fastening; as well as sleeper metallurgy and spacing. The instrumentation technologies comprise corrugation analysis trolley, acoustic measurement system, vibration measurement system, hollow shaft sensing system, and onboard monitoring system. Dynamic simulation models and system designs, along with signal processing algorithms, are presented and described with statistical findings from simulations and field experiments. Results are encouraging, opening more research and development opportunities to better manage rail corrugation.