Rail fastener detection of heavy railway based on deep learning

Image detection based on machine learning and deep learning currently has a good application prospect for railway fault diagnosis,with good performance in feature extraction and the accuracy of image localization and good classification results.To improve the speed of locating small target objects of fasteners,the YOLOv5 framework model with faster algorithm speed is selected.To improve the classification accuracy of fasteners,YOLOv5-based heavy-duty railway rail fastener detection is proposed.The anchor size is modified on the original basis to improve the attention to small targets of fasteners.The CBAM(Convolutional Block Attention Module)module and TPH(Transformer Prediction Head)module are introduced to improve the speed and accuracy issues.The rail fasteners are divided into 6 categories.Experiment comparisons show that before the improvement,the MAP@0.5 value of all categories are close to the peak of 0.989 after the epoch of 150,and the F1 score approaches 1 with confidence in the interval(0.2,0.95).The improved mAP@0.5 value approached the highest value of 0.991 after the epoch of 75,and the F1 score approached 1 with confidence in the interval(0.01,0.95).The experiment results indicate that the improved YOLOv5 model proposed in this paper is more suitable for the task of detecting rail fasteners.

Influence of quick release valve on braking performance and coupler force of heavy haul train

We establish a simulation model based on the theory of air flow to analyze the accelerated release effect of the quick release valve inside the air brake control valve.In addition, the combined simulation system of train air brake system and longitudinal train dynamics is used to analyze how the parameters of the quick release valve in the 120/120–1 brake control valve affect the propagation characteristics of the train brake pipe pressure wave, the release action range of the accelerated brake, and the longitudinal coupler force for a 20,000-ton heavy haul train on the section of the Datong–Qinhuangdao Railway. The results show that the quick release valve can effectively accelerate the rising speed of the train brake pipe pressure during the initial release, as the accelerated release effect is evident before the train brake pipe pressure reaches582 k Pa. The quick release valve can effectively accelerate the release of the rear cars, reducing the longitudinal coupler force impact due to time delay of the release process. The quick release valve can effectively reduce the tensile coupler force in the train by as much as 20% in certain cases.

Research on heavy-haul adaptive technology and strengthening measures for existing railway steel bridge

Purpose–This research addresses the diverse characteristics of existing railway steel bridges in China,including variations in construction age,design standards,structural types,manufacturing processes,materials and service conditions.It also focuses on prominent defects and challenges related to heavy transportation conditions,particularly low live haul reserves and severe fatigue problems.Design/methodology/approach–The study encompasses three key aspects:(1)Adaptability assessment:It begins with assessing the suitability of existing railway steel bridges for heavy-haul operations through comprehensive analyses,experiments and engineering applications.(2)Strengthening:To combat frequent crack defects in the vertical stiffener end structure of girder webs,fatigue performance tests and reinforcement scheme experiments were conducted.These experiments included the development of a hot-spot stress S-N curve for this structure,validating the effectiveness of methods like crack stop holes,ultrasonic hammering and flange angle steel.(3)Service life extension:Research on the cruciform welded joint structure(non-fusion transfer type)focused on fatigue performance over the long life cycle.This led to the establishment of a fatigue S-N curve,enhancing Chinese design codes.Findings–The research achieved several significant outcomes:(1)Successful implementation of strengthening and retrofitting measures on a 64-m single-span double-track railway steel truss girder on an existing heavy-duty line.(2)Post-reinforcement,a substantial 26%to 32%reduction in live haul stress on bridge members was achieved.(3)The strengthening and retrofitting efforts met design expectations,enabling the bridge to accommodate vehicles with a 30-ton axle haul on the railway line.Originality/value–This research systematically tackles challenges and defects associated with Chinese existing railway steel bridges,providing valuable insights into adaptability assessment,strengthening techniques and service life extension methods.Furthermore,the development of fatigue S-N curves and the successful implementation of bridge enhancements have practical implications for improving the resilience and operational capacity of railway steel bridges in China.

Establishment and Optimization of Status Assessment Variables for Heavy Haul Railway Line Service Performance

In order to address the issues of complex system structure and variable selection difficulty for the current heavy haul railway line status evaluation system, a three-category and three-layer heavy-haul line status evaluation variable set construction and reduction optimization method is proposed. Firstly, the status of heavy haul railway line is analyzed, and an initial set of evaluation variables affecting the line status is constructed. Then, based on the association rule and the principal component analysis method, key variables are extracted from the initial variable set to establish the evaluation system. Finally, this method is verified with actual data of a line. The results show that the service performance of heavy haul railway line can still be evaluated accurately when the evaluation variables are reduced by 60% in the proposed method.

Wheel/rail-force–based maintenance interval extension of the C80 series wagon

Purpose–This study aims to introduce the achievements and benefits of applying wheel/rail-force–based maintenance interval extension of the C80 series wagon in China.Design/methodology/approach–Chinese wagons’existing maintenance strategy had left a certain safety margin for the characteristics of widely running range,unstable service environment and submission to transportation organization requirements.To reduce maintenance costs,China railway(CR)has attempted to extend the maintenance interval since 2020.The maintenance cycle of C80 series heavy haul wagons is extended by three months(no stable routing)or 50,000 km(regular routing).However,in the meantime,the alarming rate of the running state,a key index to reflect the severe degree of hunting stability,by the train performance detection system(TPDS)for the C80 series heavy haul wagons has increased significantly.Findings–The present paper addresses a big data statistical way to evaluate the risk of allowing the C80 series heavy haul wagons to remain in operation longer than stipulated by the maintenance interval initial set.Through the maintenance and wayside-detectordata,whichis divided intothreestages,the extension period(three months),the current maintenance period and the previous maintenance period,this method reveals the alarming rate of hunting was correlated with maintenance interval.The maintainability of wagons will be achieved by utilizing wagon performance degradation modeling with the state of the wheelset and the often-contact side bearing.This paper also proposes a statistical model to return to the average safety level of the previous maintenance period’s baseline through correct alarming thresholds for unplanned corrective maintenance.Originality/value–The paper proposes an approach to reduce safety risk due to maintenance interval extension by effective maintenance program.The results are expected to help the railway company make the optimal solution to balance safety and the economy.

Cycle Time Analysis of Open Pit Mining Dump Trucks

This study demonstrates a practical cycle time analysis of dump truck haulage system of “Ukhaa Khudag” open-pit coal mine located in Umnugobi Province, Mongolia. It examines the possibility of minimizing the cycle time of the haulage system as well as factors impacting the speed of the dump truck. The current study divides the open pit mine road for the dump trucks into five sections which are bench road, ramp, surface road, dump road uphill, and dump road. Meanwhile, it investigates the influence of the length, the grade, and the rolling resistance of the road section on the cycle time. The data is analyzed using mathematical regression methods via Microsoft Excel program. For each of the five road sections, we compare the statistical calculations of three regression models: linear, quadratic and exponential;thus, a total of thirty regression models are obtained in this research. Accordingly, the cycle time for each road section is predicted by the most accountable model. The loaded and empty direction of the movement is measured and calculated for each road section, and it appears that the difference between the calculated mean value and the actual cycle time of the models is 0.82 seconds with a relative error of 2.51 percent.

Analysis of longitudinal forces of coupler devices in emergency braking process for heavy haul trains

To reduce the longitudinal coupler forces of heavy haul trains and improve the running safety, the velocity method and New-mark method were used for the coupler simulation and numerical integration, and a numerical model on the longitudinal dynamics of heavy haul trains was established. Validation was performed against the experimental data. Using this model, the emergency braking process for a combined marshalling heavy haul train was investigated to obtain the distributions of the longitudinal compressive forces and strokes of coupler devices. Then, the influences of the initial braking velocity, the synchronization time of master and slave locomotives, the coupler stiffness and the vibrator mass on the longitudinal forces and strokes were analyzed. The results show that it should be avoided that the emergency braking starts at a low initial speed. Keeping synchronism between master locomotive and slave locomotives effectively helps to reduce the longitudinal forces. Reducing the coupler stiffness appropriately and adding rigid arm connections, the longitudinal vibration frequency can be brought down and the longitudinal forces will be decreased, which improves the running safety of heavy haul trains. All of these research results can provide a reference for the operation and development of heavy haul trains.

Longitudinal dynamics and energy analysis for heavy haul trains

Whole trip longitudinal dynamics and energy analysis of heavy haul trains are required by operators and manufacturers to enable optimisation of train controls and rolling stock components. A new technology named train dynamics and energy analyser/train simulator （TDEAS） has been developed by the State Key Laboratory of Traction Power in China to perform detailed whole trip longitudinal train dynamics and energy analyses. Facilitated by a controller user interface and a graphic user interface, the TDEAS can also be used as a train driving simulator. This paper elaborates the modelling of three primary parts in the TDEAS, namely wagon connection systems, air brake systems and train energy components. TDEAS uses advanced wedge-spring draft gear models that can simulate a wider spectrum of friction draft gear behaviour. An effective and efficient air brake model that can simulate air brake systems in various train configurations has been integrated. In addition, TDEAS simulates the train energy on the basis of a detailed longitudinal train dynamics simulation, which enables a further perspective of the train energy composition and the overall energy consumption. To demonstrate the validity of the TDEAS, a case study was carried out on a 120-km-long Chinese railway. The results show that the employment of electric locomotives with regenerative braking could bring considerable energy benefits. Nearly 40 % of the locomotive energy usage could be collected from the dynamic brake system. Most of tractive energy was dissipated by propulsion resistance that accounted for 42.48 % of the total energy. Only a small amount of tractive energy was dissipated by curving resistance, air brake and draft gear systems.

Stabilizing Mechanism and Running Behavior of Couplers on Heavy Haul Trains

Published studies in regard to coupler systems have been mainly focused on the manufacturing process or coupler strength issues. With the ever increasing of tonnage and length of heavy haul trains, lateral in-train forces generated by longitudinal in-train forces and coupler rotations have become a more and more significant safety issue for heavy haul train operations. Derailments caused by excessive lateral in-train forces are frequently reported. This article studies two typical coupler systems used on heavy haul locomotives. Their structures and stabilizing mechanism are analyzed before the corresponding models are developed. Coupler systems models are featured by two distinct stabilizing mechanism models and draft gear models with hysteresis considered. A model set which consists of four locomotives and three coupler systems is developed to study the rotational behavior of different coupler systems and their implications for locomotive dynamics. Simulated results indicate that when the locomotives are equipped with the type B coupler system, locomotives can meet the dynamics standard on tangent tracks; while the dynamics performance on curved tracks is very poor. The maximum longitudinal in-train force for locomotives equipped with the type B coupler system is 2000 kN. Simulations revealed a distinct trend for the type A coupler system. Locomotive dynamics are poorer for the type A case when locomotives are running on tangent tracks, while the dynamics are better for the type A case when locomotives are running on curved tracks. Theoretical studies and simulations carried out in this article suggest that a combination of the two types of stabilizing mechanism can result in a good design which can significantly decrease the relevant derailments.

Numerical simulation of wheel wear evolution for heavy haul railway

The prediction of the wheel wear is a fundamental problem in heavy haul railway. A numerical methodology is introduced to simulate the wheel wear evolution of heavy haul freight car. The methodology includes the spatial coupling dynamics of vehicle and track, the three-dimensional rolling contact analysis of wheel-rail, the Specht's material wear model, and the strategy for reproducing the actual operation conditions of railway. The freight vehicle is treated as a full 3D rigid multi-body model. Every component is built detailedly and various contact interactions between parts are accurately simulated, taking into account the real clearances. The wheel-rail rolling contact calculation is carried out based on Hertz's theory and Kalker's FASTSIM algorithm. The track model is built based on field measurements. The material loss due to wear is evaluated according to the Specht's model in which the wear coefficient varies with the wear intensity. In order to exactly reproduce the actual operating conditions of railway,dynamic simulations are performed separately for all possible track conditions and running velocities in each iterative step.Dimensionless weight coefficients are introduced that determine the ratios of different cases and are obtained through site survey. For the wheel profile updating, an adaptive step strategy based on the wear depth is introduced, which can effectively improve the reliability and stability of numerical calculation. At last, the wear evolution laws are studied by the numerical model for different wheels of heavy haul freight vehicle running in curves. The results show that the wear of the front wheelset is more serious than that of the rear wheelset for one bogie, and the difference is more obvious for the outer wheels. The wear of the outer wheels is severer than that of the inner wheels. The wear of outer wheels mainly distributes near the flange and the root; while the wear of inner wheels mainly distributes around the nominal rolling circle. For the outer wheel of front wheelset of each bogie, the development of wear is gradually concentrated on the flange and the developing speed increases continually with the increase of traveled distance.

FE Analysis of Longitudinal Dynamic Response of Subgrade in Bridge-Subgrade Transition of Heavy Haul Railway

With the increase of axle load and the train speed, dynamic interaction of train-track system becomes so exacerbated that the deformation and dynamic response of subgrade are more aggravated. The differential settlement will be created in bridge-embankment transition section under such dynamic action, and an adverse effect on the train operation safety can be caused. Meanwhile, differential settlement will produce additional dynamic effect when high-speed trains go through the transition between bridge-embankment. Such dynamic action will aggravate the differential settlement and subgrade damage. This paper applies the methods of field test and finite-element to systematically study the dynamic response characteristics of subgrade in bridge-embankment transition section of heavy haul railway under dynamic load for the first time. This research is focused on the analysis of influence of the different axle load, train speed, filled soil modulus, etc.. At last, the dynamic response rules are systematically summarized.

Comparative study on wheel-rail dynamic interactions of side-frame cross-bracing bogie and sub-frame radial bogie

Improving freight axle load is the most effective method to improve railway freight capability; based on the imported technologies of railway freight bogie, the 27 t axle load side-frame cross-bracing bogie and sub-frame radial bogie are developed in China. In order to analyze and compare dynamic interactions of the two newly developed heavy-haul freight bogies, we establish a vehi- cle-track coupling dynamic model and use numerical calculation methods for computer simulation. The dynamic performances of the two bogies are simulated separately at various conditions. The results show that at the dipped joint and straight line running conditions, the wheel-rail dynamic interactions of both bogies are basically the same, but at the curve negotiation condition, the wear and the lateral force of the side-frame cross-bracing bogie are much higher than that of the sub-frame radial bogie, and the advantages become more obvious when the curve radius is smaller. The results also indicate that the sub- frame radial bogie has better low-wheel-rail interaction characteristics.

“hold住”解义

"hold住"是2011年十大流行语之一,它在汉语中广泛传播,尤其是在网络和报纸中。而且在汉语中出现了三个不同读音形式共用一个书面形式的特殊现象。"hold住"是一种语码混用现象,与汉语的规范化相违背,它在汉语中的发展还要接受社会实践的检验。

A comprehensive investigation of loading variance influence on fuel consumption and gas emissions in mine haulage operation

The data collected from haul truck payload management systems at various surface mines show that the payload variance is significant and must be considered in analysing the mine productivity, diesel energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and associated costs. The aim of this study is to determine the energy and cost saving opportunities for truck haulage operations associated with the payload variance in surface mines. The results indicate that there is a non-linear relationship between the payload variance and the fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and associated costs. A correlation model, which is independent of haul road conditions, has been developed between the payload variance and the cost saving using the data from an Australian surface coal mine. The results of analysis for this particular mine show that a significant saving of fuel and greenhouse gas emissions costs is possible if the standard deviation of payload is reduced from the maximum to minimum value.

Development of a multi-layer perceptron artificial neural network model to determine haul trucks energy consumption

The mining industry annually consumes trillions of British thermal units of energy,a large part of which is saveable.Diesel fuel is a significant source of energy in surface mining operations and haul trucks are the major users of this energy source.Cross vehicle weight,truck velocity and total resistance have been recognised as the key parameters affecting the fuel consumption.In this paper,an artificial neural network model was developed to predict the fuel consumption of haul trucks in surface mines based on the gross vehicle weight,truck velocity and total resistance.The network was trained and tested using real data collected from a surface mining operation.The results indicate that the artificial neural network modelling can accurately predict haul truck fuel consumption based on the values of the haulage parameters considered in this study.

Performance evaluation of near real-time condition monitoring in haul trucks

Strategic maintenance plays a key role in ensuring high availability and utilization of the haul trucks,and as equipment began to grow more complex towards the end of the 20th century,there was a need for a proactive maintenance strategy,which led to the development of condition-based maintenance.Realtime condition monitoring(RTCM)is the ability to perform condition monitoring in real-time and has the ability to alert maintenance and operations of abnormal conditions.These alarms can be used as an indication leading to a problem,and if a suitable corrective action is initiated in time,it could result in significant savings of equipment downtime and repair costs.This study aims to compare some maintenance performance indicators prior to and after implementation of RTCM strategy at a mine site using some tests of statistical significance.The study also indicated the presence of seasonality in the data,and thus the data was deseasonalized and detrended prior to being subjected to the statistical tests.Finally,the results indicated that RTCM strategy has proven to be successful in improving the availability for some of the failure categories chosen in this study.

Assessment of the curving performance of heavy haul trains under braking conditions

To study the curving performance of trains, 1D and 3D dynamic models of trains were built using nu- merical methods. The 1D model was composed of 210 simple wagons, each allowed only longitudinal motion; whereas the 3D model included three complicated wagons for which longitudinal, lateral, and vertical degrees of freedom were considered. Combined with the calculated results from the 1D model under braking conditions, the behavior of draft gears and brake shoes were added to the 3D model. The assessment of the curving performance of trains was focused on making comparisons between idling and braking conditions. The results indicated the following： when a train brakes on a curved track, the wheel-rail lateral force and derailment factor are greater than under idling conditions. Because the yawing movement of the wheelset is limited by brake shoes, the zone of wheel contact along the wheel tread is wider than under idling conditions. Furthermore, as the curvature becomes tighter, the traction ratio shows a nonlinear increasing trend, whether under idling or braking conditions. By increasing the brake shoe pressure, train steering becomes more difficult.

Analysis of Waste-Rock Transportation Process Performance in an Open-Pit Mine Based on Statistical Analysis of Cycle Times Data

In this paper, the performance of a waste rock transportation process in an open pit mine was assessed by using cycle time data. A computerized truck-excavator dispatch system was used to record the cycle times. The process was broken into seven steps (or components of the total cycle), durations of which were recorded for a period of 1 month, leading to N = 60,690 data points or dispatches. The open pit mine studied consisted of 12 waste types loaded by 14 excavators and hauled by 49 trucks (at a trucks-to-excavator ratio of 3.5:1) in 75 changing locations. The string-type data was coded using integers to allow a FORTRAN code to extract process performance parameters using statistical analysis. The study established a wide range of parameters including: the waste material generation rate (about 1.73 million t/month, 81% comprising waste rock), truck fill factor, f, total cycle time (Tct), production capacity, theoretical cycle time, non-productive cycle time Tnp, and cycle time performance ratio (CTPR), denoted as Tpr. The factors affecting the process performance include: truck model, excavator model, location (haul distance and road conditions) and material type. For a fixed material type and tonnage, the PDFs of the cycle time components were logarithmic in nature, capable of differentiating performance variations under different factors. It was concluded that the performance of the waste material transportation system in this mine was determined to be acceptable due to mean value of Tpr = 2.432 being closer to unity. Reduction measures were suggested to minimize the cycle time for the process bottlenecks determined from Pareto analysis (that is, full haul, empty haul and loading processes).

Designing waste rock barriers by advanced numerical modelling

Design of waste rock barriers forming safety berms for haul trucks requires knowledge of complex interactions which cannot readily be tested by physical means.An advanced numerical model based on non-smooth multi-domain mechanics is presented together with model calibration using limited fullscale experimental data.Waste rock is represented by spherical particles with rolling resistance,and an ultra-class haul truck is represented by a rigid multibody system interconnected with mechanical joints.The model components are first calibrated and then the calibrated model is used for simulating various collision scenarios with different approach conditions and safety berm geometries.Numerical predictions indicate that the width of the berm is most critical for efficiently stopping a runaway truck.The model can also predict if a certain berm geometry is capable of stopping a runaway truck.Results are summarised in a series of diagrams intended for use as design guidelines by practitioners and engineers.

The role of microstructure and its stability in performance of wheels in heavy haul service

Thermal or thermo-mechanical loading is one of the major causes of wheel surface damage in Australian heavy haul operations.In addition,multi-wear wheels appear to be particularly sensitive to thermo-mechanical damage during their first service life.Such damage can incur heavy machining penalties or even premature scrapping of wheels.The combination of high contact stresses as well as substantial thermal loading(such as during prolonged periods of tread braking) can lead to severe plastic deformation,thermal fatigue and microstructural deterioration.For some high-strength wheel grades,the increased sensitivity to thermo-mechanical damage observed during the first service period may be attributed to the presence of a near-surface region in which the microstructure is more sensitive to these loading conditions than the underlying material.The standards applicable to wheels used in Australian heavy haul operations are based on the Association of American Railroads(AAR) specification M-107/M-208,which does not include any requirements for microstructure.The implementation of acceptance criteria for the microstructure,in particular that in the near-surface region of the wheel,may be necessary when new wheels are purchased.The stability of wheel microstructures during thermo-mechanical loading and the effects of alloying elements commonly used in wheel manufacturing are reviewed.A brief guide to improving thermal/mechanical stability of the microstructure is also provided.