Int J Performability Eng ›› 2009, Vol. 5 ›› Issue (2): 119-130.doi: 10.23940/ijpe.09.2.p119.mag

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Parameter Estimation for Rail Degradation Model

G. CHATTOPADHYAY1, S. KUMAR2   

  1. 1PELM Centre, Central Queensland University, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Health Bryan Jordan Drive, Gladstone, QLD, 4680, AUSTRALIA
    2Division of Operations and Maintenance Engineering, Lule? University of Technology, SE-971 87 LULE?, SWEDEN

Abstract:

Wear and fatigue in rails are major contributors of rail degradation depending on operational conditions, track, characteristics of bogie type, Million Gross Tonnes (MGT), curvature, traffic type and environmental conditions. Estimation of parameter for failure models is necessary for accurate prediction of expected number of rail defects over a period of time based on MGT of traffic and operating conditions for developing cost effective maintenance strategies. This paper focuses on collection and analysis of field data over a period of time for estimation of parameter for modelling rail life.
Received on December 12, 2007, revision available on December 02, 2008
References: 13