Comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi-point chord reference method

Purpose – Straightness measurement of rail weld joint is of essential importance to railway maintenance. Due to the lack of efficient measurement equipment, there has been limited in-depth research on rail weld joint with a 5-m wavelength range, leaving a significant knowledge gap in this field. Des...

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Main Authors: Yifan Shi, Yuan Wang, Xiaozhou Liu, Ping Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Emerald Publishing 2024-02-01
Series:Railway Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/RS-10-2023-0038/full/pdf
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author Yifan Shi
Yuan Wang
Xiaozhou Liu
Ping Wang
author_facet Yifan Shi
Yuan Wang
Xiaozhou Liu
Ping Wang
author_sort Yifan Shi
collection DOAJ
description Purpose – Straightness measurement of rail weld joint is of essential importance to railway maintenance. Due to the lack of efficient measurement equipment, there has been limited in-depth research on rail weld joint with a 5-m wavelength range, leaving a significant knowledge gap in this field. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the authors used the well-established inertial reference method (IR-method), and the state-of-the-art multi-point chord reference method (MCR-method). Two methods have been applied in different types of rail straightness measurement trollies, respectively. These instruments were tested in a high-speed rail section within a certain region of China. The test results were ultimately validated through using traditional straightedge and feeler gauge methods as reference data to evaluate the rail weld joint straightness within the 5-m wavelength range. Findings – The research reveals that IR-method and MCR-method produce reasonably similar measurement results for wavelengths below 1 m. However, MCR-method outperforms IR-method in terms of accuracy for wavelengths exceeding 3 m. Furthermore, it was observed that IR-method, while operating at a slower speed, carries the risk of derailing and is incapable of detecting rail weld joints and low joints within the track. Originality/value – The research compare two methods’ measurement effects in a longer wavelength range and demonstrate the superiority of MCR-method.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2755-0907
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language English
publishDate 2024-02-01
publisher Emerald Publishing
record_format Article
series Railway Sciences
spelling doaj-art-1a6946252a7944bfb0fb3e9822b3a02b2025-08-20T02:10:32ZengEmerald PublishingRailway Sciences2755-09072755-09152024-02-0131698310.1108/RS-10-2023-0038Comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi-point chord reference methodYifan Shi0Yuan Wang1Xiaozhou Liu2Ping Wang3Track Reasearch Lab, School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), Chengdu, ChinaShenzhen EboRail Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, ChinaCollege of Urban Transportation and Logistics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, ChinaThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, ChinaPurpose – Straightness measurement of rail weld joint is of essential importance to railway maintenance. Due to the lack of efficient measurement equipment, there has been limited in-depth research on rail weld joint with a 5-m wavelength range, leaving a significant knowledge gap in this field. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the authors used the well-established inertial reference method (IR-method), and the state-of-the-art multi-point chord reference method (MCR-method). Two methods have been applied in different types of rail straightness measurement trollies, respectively. These instruments were tested in a high-speed rail section within a certain region of China. The test results were ultimately validated through using traditional straightedge and feeler gauge methods as reference data to evaluate the rail weld joint straightness within the 5-m wavelength range. Findings – The research reveals that IR-method and MCR-method produce reasonably similar measurement results for wavelengths below 1 m. However, MCR-method outperforms IR-method in terms of accuracy for wavelengths exceeding 3 m. Furthermore, it was observed that IR-method, while operating at a slower speed, carries the risk of derailing and is incapable of detecting rail weld joints and low joints within the track. Originality/value – The research compare two methods’ measurement effects in a longer wavelength range and demonstrate the superiority of MCR-method.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/RS-10-2023-0038/full/pdfRail weld jointInertial reference methodShort-wavelength irregularitiesMulti-point chord reference method5-m wavelength range
spellingShingle Yifan Shi
Yuan Wang
Xiaozhou Liu
Ping Wang
Comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi-point chord reference method
Railway Sciences
Rail weld joint
Inertial reference method
Short-wavelength irregularities
Multi-point chord reference method
5-m wavelength range
title Comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi-point chord reference method
title_full Comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi-point chord reference method
title_fullStr Comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi-point chord reference method
title_full_unstemmed Comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi-point chord reference method
title_short Comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi-point chord reference method
title_sort comparison study on measurement of rail weld joint between inertial reference method and multi point chord reference method
topic Rail weld joint
Inertial reference method
Short-wavelength irregularities
Multi-point chord reference method
5-m wavelength range
url https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/RS-10-2023-0038/full/pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT yifanshi comparisonstudyonmeasurementofrailweldjointbetweeninertialreferencemethodandmultipointchordreferencemethod
AT yuanwang comparisonstudyonmeasurementofrailweldjointbetweeninertialreferencemethodandmultipointchordreferencemethod
AT xiaozhouliu comparisonstudyonmeasurementofrailweldjointbetweeninertialreferencemethodandmultipointchordreferencemethod
AT pingwang comparisonstudyonmeasurementofrailweldjointbetweeninertialreferencemethodandmultipointchordreferencemethod