Monday 21 October 2013

Railway lines to have fiber optic embedded to report unusual deformation or cracks

The Institute Of Railway Research (IRR) has undertaken a new ambitious project, called Capacity4Rail with two aims: 1. To make laying of railway lines quicker & easier 2. To make the railway lines intelligent. The project funded by EU will see the grants of about €15m being invested in development of these new type of railway tracks. The project will be headed by Prof. Simon Iwnicki of Huddersfield University and is expected to be completed in a time span of about 4 years. 

railway-track-fiber-optics. ​

The Capacity4Rail project would ensure that the new railway tracks are capable of meeting Europe's transportation needs in coming years. It will aim at development of low maintenance infrastructure and modular way of laying the railway tracks. IRR's Dr. Yann Bezin said that the research team is looking at better & more efficient designs of developing the tracks. The modular construction methods will allow quicker installation of pre-assembled tracks brought to the sight in sections. 

The team also wants to make the railway tracks intelligent by running Fiber Optic lines along the railway tracks. The system would allow early detection of cracks or track deformations through the measurement of fiber optic signals. Metallurgist Prof. Jay Jaiswal, who earlier worked with Tata Steel will work on investigation of new materials for crossings and switches. Jaiswal has been recently appointed as the visiting professor at the Huddersfield University. 

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