Utilizing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography to timely detect and evaluate potential safety hazards (PSHs) around high-speed rail has great potential to complement and reform the existing manual inspections by ...Utilizing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography to timely detect and evaluate potential safety hazards (PSHs) around high-speed rail has great potential to complement and reform the existing manual inspections by providing better overhead views and mitigating safety issues. However, UAV inspections based on manual interpretation, which heavily rely on the experience, attention, and judgment of human inspectors, still inevitably suffer from subjectivity and inaccuracy. To address this issue, this study proposes a lightweight hybrid learning algorithm named HDTA (hybrid dual tasks architecture) to automatically and efficiently detect the PSHs of UAV imagery. First, this HDTA architecture seamlessly integrates both detection and segmentation branches within a unified framework. This design enables the model to simultaneously perform PSH detection and railroad parsing, thereby providing comprehensive scene understanding. Such joint learning also lays the foundation for PSH assessment tasks. Second, an innovative lightweight backbone based on the shuffle selective state space model (S^(4)M) is incorporated into HDTA. The state space model approach allows for global contextual information extraction while maintaining linear computational complexity. Furthermore, the incorporation of shuffle operation facilitates more efficient information flow across feature dimensions, enhancing both feature representation and fusion capabilities. Finally, extensive experiments conducted on a railroad environment dataset constructed from UAV imagery demonstrate that the proposed method achieves high detection accuracy while maintaining efficiency and practicality.展开更多
The pollution status and horizontal distribution of heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Cd) in the soil on railroad side along the Zhengzhou-Putian section of Longxi-Haizhou Railroad were studied by collecting soil ...The pollution status and horizontal distribution of heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Cd) in the soil on railroad side along the Zhengzhou-Putian section of Longxi-Haizhou Railroad were studied by collecting soil samples along a sampling section perpendicular to the railroad at the distances of 0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 500 m from the railroad edge. The concentrations of heavy metals in the sampling soils were higher than those of the control site. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd were found to be the highest in the soils at the railroad edge, and then decreased with increasing distance from the railroad. The highest concentrations of Ni, Cr, and Cu in soils were located at about 10-30 m from the railroad. Compared with the single factor pollution index (SFPI) of heavy metals calculated for the control site, the average SFPI from the sampling sites decreased in the order of Cr > Cd > Pb > Zn > Ni > Cu. There were notable negative correlations between the integral pollution index (IPI) of soil heavy metals at all sampling sites and the distances from the railroad. According to three IPIs calculated from the background values of heavy metals in och-aquic Cambisols, the heavy metal concentrations in the control soil, and the 2nd levels for soil heavy metals in GB15618-1995, the study area could be divided, based on the distances from the railroad, into four pollution zones: heavy pollution zone (0-10 m), medium pollution zone (10-50 m), slight pollution zone (50-100 m), and warning zone (100-500 m), respectively.展开更多
We evaluate the feasibility of recovering energy from the vibrations of track and sleepers,during passage of a high-speed train,by means of a pendulum harvester.A simple mathematical model of the parametric pendulum i...We evaluate the feasibility of recovering energy from the vibrations of track and sleepers,during passage of a high-speed train,by means of a pendulum harvester.A simple mathematical model of the parametric pendulum is employed to obtain numerical predictions,while measured data of vibration tests during the passage of a Thalys high-speed train are considered as input forcing.Since a sustained rotation is the most energetic motion of a pendulum,the possibility of achieving such state is evaluated,taking into account the influence of initial conditions,damping and other factors.Numerical simulations show that rotating pendulum harvesters with sufficiently low viscous damping could be able to generate a usable average power on the order of 5–6 W per unit.Considering a modular arrangement of devices,such energy is enough to feed variety of rail-side equipment,as wireless sensors or warning light systems.However,a suitable choice of initial conditions could be a difficult task,leading to the need of a control action.展开更多
The operation of a railway track in cold regions results in the premature deformation of subgrade soils caused by significant temperature fluctuations and ecological imbalance.Identification and calculation of the tha...The operation of a railway track in cold regions results in the premature deformation of subgrade soils caused by significant temperature fluctuations and ecological imbalance.Identification and calculation of the thawing degree of permafrost soils,frost heaving of clays,and groundwater flooding require careful engineering and geological surveying.The paper describes the unique,long-standing experience of the university scientists connected with maintaining the Russian EastSiberian and Trans-Baikal Railways'facilities.Specific features of and requirements for the surveying,depending on the geological and climatic conditions,are identified.展开更多
Creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties have been used for more than a century to support steel rails and to transfer load from the rails to the underlying ballast while keeping the rails at the correct gauge. As t...Creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties have been used for more than a century to support steel rails and to transfer load from the rails to the underlying ballast while keeping the rails at the correct gauge. As transportation engineers look for improved service life and environmental performance in railway systems, alternatives to the creosote-treated wooden crosstie are being considered. This paper compares the cradle-to-grave environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) results of creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties with the primary alternative products: concrete and plastic composite (P/C) crossties. This LCA includes a life cycle inventory (LCI) to catalogue the input and output data from crosstie manufacture, service life, and disposition, and a life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) to evaluate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fossil fuel and water use, and emissions with the potential to cause acidification, smog, ecotoxicity, and eutrophication. Comparisons of the products are made at a functional unit of 1.61 kilometers (1.0 mile) of rail-road track per year. This LCA finds that the manufacture, use, and disposition of creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties offers lower fossil fuel and water use and lesser environmental impacts than competing products manufactured of concrete and P/C.展开更多
This paper is on the suggestion of maintenance items for electric railway facility systems.With the recent increase in the use of electric locomotives,the utilization and importance of railroad electrical facility sys...This paper is on the suggestion of maintenance items for electric railway facility systems.With the recent increase in the use of electric locomotives,the utilization and importance of railroad electrical facility systems are also increasing,but the railroad electrical facility system in Korea is rapidly aging.To solve this problem,various methodologies are applied to ensure operational reliability and stability for railroad electrical facility systems,but there is a lack of detailed evaluation criteria for railroad electrical facility system maintenance.Also,maintenance items must be selected in a scientific and systematic method.Therefore,railroad electrical facility systems are selected for study.Design StructureMatrix(DSM)is utilized to establish considerations tailored to the maintenance characteristics,and the Fuzzy-TOPSIS methodology is utilized for determining the maintenance detail evaluation item baseline weights,a multi-criteria decision-making problem.Studies show that degradation,insulation items have the highest weight of 14.63%,and capacity items have the lowest weight of 5.34%.The results of this may be contributed to the underlying research in carrying out maintenance activities to ensure the reliability and safety of railroad electrical facility systems.展开更多
A growing demand for passenger and freight transportation, combined with limited capital to expand the United States （U.S.） rail infrastructure, is creating pressure for a more efficient use of the current line capa...A growing demand for passenger and freight transportation, combined with limited capital to expand the United States （U.S.） rail infrastructure, is creating pressure for a more efficient use of the current line capacity. This is further exacerbated by the fact that most passenger rail services operate on corridors that are shared with freight traffic. A capacity analysis is one alternative to address the situation and there are various approaches, tools, and methodologies available for application. As the U.S. continues to develop higher speed passenger services with similar characteristics to those in European shared-use lines, understanding the common methods and tools used on both continents grows in relevance. There has not as yet been a detailed investigation as to how each continent approaches capacity analysis, and whether any benefits could be gained from cross-pollination. This paper utilizes more than 50 past capacity studies from the U.S. and Europe to describe the different railroad capacity defini- tions and approaches, and then categorizes them, based on each approach. The capacity methods are commonly di- vided into analytical and simulation methods, but this paper also introduces a third, ＂combined simulation- analytical＂ category. The paper concludes that Europeanrail studies are more unified in terms of capacity, concepts, and techniques, while the U.S. studies represent a greater variation in methods, tools, and objectives. The majority of studies on both continents use either simulation or a combined simulation-analytical approach. However, due to the significant differences between operating philosophy and network characteristics of these two rail systems, European studies tend to use timetable-based simulation tools as opposed to the non-timetable-based tools commonly used in the U.S. rail networks. It was also found that validation of studies against actual operations was not typically completed or was limited to comparisons with a base model.展开更多
This paper explores the role of geographical expansion of railroads,one of the most important Fransporta-tion vehicles,in the history of American west development,analyses its implication on the unprecedented mi grati...This paper explores the role of geographical expansion of railroads,one of the most important Fransporta-tion vehicles,in the history of American west development,analyses its implication on the unprecedented mi gration move-ment and the resulted urbanization i n the west and concludes with the fact that the appropriate interference b y the governm-net,especially in the early period,is vital to regional development pra ctice,because of market failure at t he initial stage,infrastructure constructio n conducted by the government always plays as the first impetus to any regional develop-ment process.Only through this brid ge,can some physical factors,such a s population,be attracted to feed th e back-ward area.As a result,cities grow fa st and the region develops well.The e xperience can be shared by all countr ies.Be-sides reviewing the history of west development in America,focusing on t he relationship between railroads e xpansion and urban growth,which was realized thr ough population migration.Acomparison on the particular pattern of regional develop-ment between U.S and China is made as well at the end.It is noted that despite of the common first impetus,govern-ment subsidies and the common final r esult,urbanization,the path for th e America is bottom-up,whereas that for China is top down,that is to say,developme nt should originate from big cities,then to towns,and finally radiate in to rural ar-eas.展开更多
This paper summarizes the results of investigations carried out in the northern section of the Tommot-Yakutsk Railroad in eastern Siberia, underlain by ice-rich permafrost. The ongoing permafrost and geotechnical rese...This paper summarizes the results of investigations carried out in the northern section of the Tommot-Yakutsk Railroad in eastern Siberia, underlain by ice-rich permafrost. The ongoing permafrost and geotechnical research program in support of railroad construction includes assessment of the ground thermal state on the right-of-way and adjacent areas based on long-term field observations using the method of terrain thermal physics. These studies focus on the upper permafrost within the depth of annual temperature variation. In undisturbed areas, inter-annual variability of the ground thermal state shows little response to recent climatic variations. However, forest clearing and surface disturbance during right-of-way construction cause an increase in permafrost temperature, deepening of the active layer, thaw settlement, and water accumulation along the embankment. The active layer is thickest along the sun-exposed left berm and is thinnest along the more shaded right berm. Measures to prevent thaw-related embankment problems are recommended.展开更多
The zones of thawed ground in the permafrost area are most dangerous from engineer-geologist effect point of view. Detection of such zones, as making forecast of their movement is the main task of engineer-geologist s...The zones of thawed ground in the permafrost area are most dangerous from engineer-geologist effect point of view. Detection of such zones, as making forecast of their movement is the main task of engineer-geologist survey been held in railway industry. This paper presents general issues concerning railway construction and operation in permafrost areas. Comprehensive geophysical methods to monitor the development of thawed soils axe considered in detail. The main physical parameters which help define permafrost and thawed soil patches are described. Author of current paper pointed out main factors, allowing predicting potential areas of development of thawed grounds. They offered set non-destructive methods： GPR investigations, seismic survey and elec- tric exploration. Whole sets of geophysical data： electric resistivity, velocity of S-wave and P-wave （and their correlation）, allow us with high confidence specify characteristics and state of soil either under the line of road, or near it. At the same time the meth- od allows to predict direction of further development of thawed ground area.展开更多
This article reports results of a survey of railroad tie management conducted by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reflecting 2017 practices. Similar surveys were previously conducted for 2013 and 2008 pract...This article reports results of a survey of railroad tie management conducted by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reflecting 2017 practices. Similar surveys were previously conducted for 2013 and 2008 practices. North American railroads purchase approximately 23 million new wood crossties annually. Most ties are used to replace worn ties. Through this survey, the AAR seeks to provide clarity to its member railroads, the regulators, and other interested parties, regarding how the railroads’ tie purchase preferences and used tie management choices have been changing in response to changing technologies and regulations. Technology changes include use of borate preservatives to dual-treat wood ties to provide longer service life in high decay environments, non-wood ties made of concrete or plastic, and energy conversion methods for used ties such as gasification and torrefaction. Passage of the EPA Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials (NHSM) rule in 2011, including updates in 2013, 2016, and 2018, is reducing the potential for recycling used ties as fuel. However, the EPA is also promoting use of biological materials, such as wood, to produce energy without increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, thus reducing human caused climate change. Purchase and tie management trends are indicated by the survey results. Approximately 95% of all ties purchased are preservative-treated wood. Due to demonstrated longer service life in high decay zones for wood ties that are dual treated with borate and either creosote or copper naphthenate, the fraction of concrete and plastic tie purchases has decreased while the faction of dual treated wood tie purchases has increased. Recycling used ties for energy remains the most common practice, at 66% of ties, but has declined from 81% in 2013. Reuse of ties for other treated wood uses, such as landscape and agricultural type purposes, remains common at approximately 18%. Landfill disposal remains uncommon, but seems to be increasing at 6% of removed ties. The shift away from recycling for energy is thought to result from the both impact of the EPA NHSM rule and the low cost of natural gas. The smaller market tie users, mainly the short line railroads in contrast to the Class 1 railroads, manage far fewer ties per company, but purchase and manage approximately 31% of all ties. The short lines recycle to landscape and agricultural uses at about half the rate of the Class 1s and dispose in landfills at a much higher rate of 76% versus 1.2% for the Class 1s. This difference is thought to result from the economics and availability of local versus distant management options.展开更多
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to eliminate the fluctuations in train arrival and departure times caused by skewed distributions in interval operation times.These fluctuations arise from random origin and proces...Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to eliminate the fluctuations in train arrival and departure times caused by skewed distributions in interval operation times.These fluctuations arise from random origin and process factors during interval operations and can accumulate over multiple intervals.The aim is to enhance the robustness of high-speed rail station arrival and departure track utilization schemes.Design/methodologylapproach-To achieve this objective,the paper simulates actual train operations,incorporating the fluctuations in interval operation times into the utilization of arrival and departure tracks at the station.The Monte Carlo simulation method is adopted to solve this problem.This approach transforms a nonlinear model,which includes constraints from probability distribution functions and is difficult to solve directly,into a linear programming model that is easier to handle.The method then linearly weights two objectives to optimize the solution.Findings-Through the application of Monte Carlo simulation,the study successfully converts the complex nonlinear model with probability distribution function constraints into a manageable linear programming model.By continuously adjusting the weighting coefficients of the linear objectives,the method is able to optimize the Pareto solution.Notably,this approach does not require extensive scene data to obtain a satisfactory Pareto solution set.Originality/value-The paper contributes to the field by introducing a novel method for optimizing high-speed rail station arrival and departure track utilization in the presence of fluctuations in interval operation times.The use of Monte Carlo simulation to transform the problem into a tractable linear programming model represents a significant advancement.Furthermore,the method's ability to produce satisfactory Pareto solutions without relying on extensive data sets adds to its practical value and applicability in real-world scenarios.展开更多
Objective: To observe the effect of hypoxia on the liver function of constructors at high altitude. Method: Select 221 constructors aged 23～42 as subjects, who had worked for 3～6 months at 4500 m. Collect venous blo...Objective: To observe the effect of hypoxia on the liver function of constructors at high altitude. Method: Select 221 constructors aged 23～42 as subjects, who had worked for 3～6 months at 4500 m. Collect venous blood from fasting subjects and determine GPT by new Lai’s Method from “The Nationwide Clinical Inspection Operating Rules". Results: The study indicated that the GPT of 45 subjects among Group 1 were abnormal, with the proportion of 20.3%. The peak of GPT appeared when subjects exposed to high altitude of 4500m for 1 month, and the mean value was 83.76±9.23.The GPT of workers were higher than that of administers at different altitude (p<0.05). And the GPT of subjects at 4500 m were higher than those at 3500 m (p<0.05). We can find a degrading tendency with the increasing of working time (p<0.05). There was significantly statistic difference between two groups. Conclusions: The study confirmed that hypoxia could cause the change of liver function mildly and moderately. And there was a positive correlation between the degree of hypoxia and liver function. But, the change began to become a decreasing trend when people went on working longer. We also found that the change of liver structure and function at high altitude correlated with several factors else, including labor, individual difference, methods and sensitivity to the test. However, the explanation of its key mechanism deserves further investigation.展开更多
The purpose of this article is to contextualize the world’s oldest art song directly associated with the railway-Travelling Song by the Russian composer Mikhail Glinka(1804-1857).The composer’s personal circumstance...The purpose of this article is to contextualize the world’s oldest art song directly associated with the railway-Travelling Song by the Russian composer Mikhail Glinka(1804-1857).The composer’s personal circumstances surrounding the creation of the song are examined,along with the historical and technical background of that era.While railways have always been associated with technological progress,new solutions for high-power engines,and the accuracy of arrival and departure timetables,the poetic and romantic side of train travel and railways in general has not yet received sufficient academic coverage.This essay is intended to partially fill this gap,though it rather outlines directions for possible development of its topical range.Each of the suggested reference points and stories is in itself an example of how the arts reflected the inspiration that cutting-edge technological advances of the period were exerting on artists,musicians,and other creative individuals.展开更多
Permafrost along the Qinghai-Tibet Railroad produces the great change under the influence of climate change, such as the decreasing of permafrost table, the rising of permafrost temperatures, etc. Climate effect on pe...Permafrost along the Qinghai-Tibet Railroad produces the great change under the influence of climate change, such as the decreasing of permafrost table, the rising of permafrost temperatures, etc. Climate effect on permafrost is the long-term process. Engineering action makes rapidly permafrost the large extent change. On the basis of analyzing the permafrost change under the climate change and engineering action, the thermal regime and spatial distribution of permafrost are predicted for air temperature rising 1℃ and 2℃ after 50 years in this paper. The results show that climate change results in the larger change for the thermal regime and spatial distribution of permafrost. Permafrost change will produce the great effect on the Qinghai-Tibet Railroad engineering, not only resulting in the decreasing of permafrost table beneath the roadbed, but also resulting in thawing settlement due to the thawing of ground ice near permafrost table. The idea of cooling roadbed and active protecting permafrost for the Qinghai-Tibet Railroad engineering could adjust and control the permafrost thermal state, some better methods are provided to ensure the engineering stability in the areas of warm permafrost and high ice content.展开更多
The freezing and expansion diseases of railroad roadbeds are prevalent in areas that experience seasonal freezing.This study aims to investigate the features of the freezing and expansion mechanism of seasonal frozen ...The freezing and expansion diseases of railroad roadbeds are prevalent in areas that experience seasonal freezing.This study aims to investigate the features of the freezing and expansion mechanism of seasonal frozen railroad roadbeds and the effects of the freezing and expansion diseases on the roadbeds.This article presents a study of the Shuo-Huang Heavy Duty Railway.Initially,on-site monitoring tests were conducted to analyze the roadbed temperature,water content and deformations due to freezing.Through these tests,the pattern of development of the roadbed freezing and swelling was understood,and the effect of this on the vibration response of the roadbed was investigated.Subsequently,load-free freezing tests were performed to investigate the freezing and expansion features of the roadbed.Through on-site monitoring,it has been determined that the seasonal freezing layer is approximately 0.5 m deep.The depth of the frozen expansion on both sides of the road shows clear differences.The frozen and expansion disease significantly amplifies the vibration acceleration of the roadbed,with a tendency towards low-frequency and high-amplitude vibrations.Through indoor testing,we compared the deformation of frozen specimens and their final freeze and expansion rates at different cold-end temperatures and various initial moisture content levels.We find that the initial moisture content has a greater impact on specimen freezing and expansion.The findings in this paper can be used as a reference for researching and addressing roadbed freezing and expansion problems.展开更多
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grantNo.52362048)in part by Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects(grantNo.202301BE070001-042 and grant No.202401AT070409).
文摘Utilizing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography to timely detect and evaluate potential safety hazards (PSHs) around high-speed rail has great potential to complement and reform the existing manual inspections by providing better overhead views and mitigating safety issues. However, UAV inspections based on manual interpretation, which heavily rely on the experience, attention, and judgment of human inspectors, still inevitably suffer from subjectivity and inaccuracy. To address this issue, this study proposes a lightweight hybrid learning algorithm named HDTA (hybrid dual tasks architecture) to automatically and efficiently detect the PSHs of UAV imagery. First, this HDTA architecture seamlessly integrates both detection and segmentation branches within a unified framework. This design enables the model to simultaneously perform PSH detection and railroad parsing, thereby providing comprehensive scene understanding. Such joint learning also lays the foundation for PSH assessment tasks. Second, an innovative lightweight backbone based on the shuffle selective state space model (S^(4)M) is incorporated into HDTA. The state space model approach allows for global contextual information extraction while maintaining linear computational complexity. Furthermore, the incorporation of shuffle operation facilitates more efficient information flow across feature dimensions, enhancing both feature representation and fusion capabilities. Finally, extensive experiments conducted on a railroad environment dataset constructed from UAV imagery demonstrate that the proposed method achieves high detection accuracy while maintaining efficiency and practicality.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.30570301).
文摘The pollution status and horizontal distribution of heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Cd) in the soil on railroad side along the Zhengzhou-Putian section of Longxi-Haizhou Railroad were studied by collecting soil samples along a sampling section perpendicular to the railroad at the distances of 0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 500 m from the railroad edge. The concentrations of heavy metals in the sampling soils were higher than those of the control site. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd were found to be the highest in the soils at the railroad edge, and then decreased with increasing distance from the railroad. The highest concentrations of Ni, Cr, and Cu in soils were located at about 10-30 m from the railroad. Compared with the single factor pollution index (SFPI) of heavy metals calculated for the control site, the average SFPI from the sampling sites decreased in the order of Cr > Cd > Pb > Zn > Ni > Cu. There were notable negative correlations between the integral pollution index (IPI) of soil heavy metals at all sampling sites and the distances from the railroad. According to three IPIs calculated from the background values of heavy metals in och-aquic Cambisols, the heavy metal concentrations in the control soil, and the 2nd levels for soil heavy metals in GB15618-1995, the study area could be divided, based on the distances from the railroad, into four pollution zones: heavy pollution zone (0-10 m), medium pollution zone (10-50 m), slight pollution zone (50-100 m), and warning zone (100-500 m), respectively.
基金support of Secretary of Science and Technology of UTN, CONICETthe National Agency for Scientific and Technological Promotion and Engineering Department of UNS
文摘We evaluate the feasibility of recovering energy from the vibrations of track and sleepers,during passage of a high-speed train,by means of a pendulum harvester.A simple mathematical model of the parametric pendulum is employed to obtain numerical predictions,while measured data of vibration tests during the passage of a Thalys high-speed train are considered as input forcing.Since a sustained rotation is the most energetic motion of a pendulum,the possibility of achieving such state is evaluated,taking into account the influence of initial conditions,damping and other factors.Numerical simulations show that rotating pendulum harvesters with sufficiently low viscous damping could be able to generate a usable average power on the order of 5–6 W per unit.Considering a modular arrangement of devices,such energy is enough to feed variety of rail-side equipment,as wireless sensors or warning light systems.However,a suitable choice of initial conditions could be a difficult task,leading to the need of a control action.
文摘The operation of a railway track in cold regions results in the premature deformation of subgrade soils caused by significant temperature fluctuations and ecological imbalance.Identification and calculation of the thawing degree of permafrost soils,frost heaving of clays,and groundwater flooding require careful engineering and geological surveying.The paper describes the unique,long-standing experience of the university scientists connected with maintaining the Russian EastSiberian and Trans-Baikal Railways'facilities.Specific features of and requirements for the surveying,depending on the geological and climatic conditions,are identified.
文摘Creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties have been used for more than a century to support steel rails and to transfer load from the rails to the underlying ballast while keeping the rails at the correct gauge. As transportation engineers look for improved service life and environmental performance in railway systems, alternatives to the creosote-treated wooden crosstie are being considered. This paper compares the cradle-to-grave environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) results of creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties with the primary alternative products: concrete and plastic composite (P/C) crossties. This LCA includes a life cycle inventory (LCI) to catalogue the input and output data from crosstie manufacture, service life, and disposition, and a life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) to evaluate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fossil fuel and water use, and emissions with the potential to cause acidification, smog, ecotoxicity, and eutrophication. Comparisons of the products are made at a functional unit of 1.61 kilometers (1.0 mile) of rail-road track per year. This LCA finds that the manufacture, use, and disposition of creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties offers lower fossil fuel and water use and lesser environmental impacts than competing products manufactured of concrete and P/C.
基金This research was supported by a grant from R&D Program of the Korea Railroad Research Institute,Republic of Korea.
文摘This paper is on the suggestion of maintenance items for electric railway facility systems.With the recent increase in the use of electric locomotives,the utilization and importance of railroad electrical facility systems are also increasing,but the railroad electrical facility system in Korea is rapidly aging.To solve this problem,various methodologies are applied to ensure operational reliability and stability for railroad electrical facility systems,but there is a lack of detailed evaluation criteria for railroad electrical facility system maintenance.Also,maintenance items must be selected in a scientific and systematic method.Therefore,railroad electrical facility systems are selected for study.Design StructureMatrix(DSM)is utilized to establish considerations tailored to the maintenance characteristics,and the Fuzzy-TOPSIS methodology is utilized for determining the maintenance detail evaluation item baseline weights,a multi-criteria decision-making problem.Studies show that degradation,insulation items have the highest weight of 14.63%,and capacity items have the lowest weight of 5.34%.The results of this may be contributed to the underlying research in carrying out maintenance activities to ensure the reliability and safety of railroad electrical facility systems.
文摘A growing demand for passenger and freight transportation, combined with limited capital to expand the United States （U.S.） rail infrastructure, is creating pressure for a more efficient use of the current line capacity. This is further exacerbated by the fact that most passenger rail services operate on corridors that are shared with freight traffic. A capacity analysis is one alternative to address the situation and there are various approaches, tools, and methodologies available for application. As the U.S. continues to develop higher speed passenger services with similar characteristics to those in European shared-use lines, understanding the common methods and tools used on both continents grows in relevance. There has not as yet been a detailed investigation as to how each continent approaches capacity analysis, and whether any benefits could be gained from cross-pollination. This paper utilizes more than 50 past capacity studies from the U.S. and Europe to describe the different railroad capacity defini- tions and approaches, and then categorizes them, based on each approach. The capacity methods are commonly di- vided into analytical and simulation methods, but this paper also introduces a third, ＂combined simulation- analytical＂ category. The paper concludes that Europeanrail studies are more unified in terms of capacity, concepts, and techniques, while the U.S. studies represent a greater variation in methods, tools, and objectives. The majority of studies on both continents use either simulation or a combined simulation-analytical approach. However, due to the significant differences between operating philosophy and network characteristics of these two rail systems, European studies tend to use timetable-based simulation tools as opposed to the non-timetable-based tools commonly used in the U.S. rail networks. It was also found that validation of studies against actual operations was not typically completed or was limited to comparisons with a base model.
文摘This paper explores the role of geographical expansion of railroads,one of the most important Fransporta-tion vehicles,in the history of American west development,analyses its implication on the unprecedented mi gration move-ment and the resulted urbanization i n the west and concludes with the fact that the appropriate interference b y the governm-net,especially in the early period,is vital to regional development pra ctice,because of market failure at t he initial stage,infrastructure constructio n conducted by the government always plays as the first impetus to any regional develop-ment process.Only through this brid ge,can some physical factors,such a s population,be attracted to feed th e back-ward area.As a result,cities grow fa st and the region develops well.The e xperience can be shared by all countr ies.Be-sides reviewing the history of west development in America,focusing on t he relationship between railroads e xpansion and urban growth,which was realized thr ough population migration.Acomparison on the particular pattern of regional develop-ment between U.S and China is made as well at the end.It is noted that despite of the common first impetus,govern-ment subsidies and the common final r esult,urbanization,the path for th e America is bottom-up,whereas that for China is top down,that is to say,developme nt should originate from big cities,then to towns,and finally radiate in to rural ar-eas.
基金the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Government for financial support of field work during the period from 2005 to 2013 under Public Contracts 251, 588, and 1090
文摘This paper summarizes the results of investigations carried out in the northern section of the Tommot-Yakutsk Railroad in eastern Siberia, underlain by ice-rich permafrost. The ongoing permafrost and geotechnical research program in support of railroad construction includes assessment of the ground thermal state on the right-of-way and adjacent areas based on long-term field observations using the method of terrain thermal physics. These studies focus on the upper permafrost within the depth of annual temperature variation. In undisturbed areas, inter-annual variability of the ground thermal state shows little response to recent climatic variations. However, forest clearing and surface disturbance during right-of-way construction cause an increase in permafrost temperature, deepening of the active layer, thaw settlement, and water accumulation along the embankment. The active layer is thickest along the sun-exposed left berm and is thinnest along the more shaded right berm. Measures to prevent thaw-related embankment problems are recommended.
基金Russian Railways,and Nauka-MSURT for financial support
文摘The zones of thawed ground in the permafrost area are most dangerous from engineer-geologist effect point of view. Detection of such zones, as making forecast of their movement is the main task of engineer-geologist survey been held in railway industry. This paper presents general issues concerning railway construction and operation in permafrost areas. Comprehensive geophysical methods to monitor the development of thawed soils axe considered in detail. The main physical parameters which help define permafrost and thawed soil patches are described. Author of current paper pointed out main factors, allowing predicting potential areas of development of thawed grounds. They offered set non-destructive methods： GPR investigations, seismic survey and elec- tric exploration. Whole sets of geophysical data： electric resistivity, velocity of S-wave and P-wave （and their correlation）, allow us with high confidence specify characteristics and state of soil either under the line of road, or near it. At the same time the meth- od allows to predict direction of further development of thawed ground area.
文摘This article reports results of a survey of railroad tie management conducted by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reflecting 2017 practices. Similar surveys were previously conducted for 2013 and 2008 practices. North American railroads purchase approximately 23 million new wood crossties annually. Most ties are used to replace worn ties. Through this survey, the AAR seeks to provide clarity to its member railroads, the regulators, and other interested parties, regarding how the railroads’ tie purchase preferences and used tie management choices have been changing in response to changing technologies and regulations. Technology changes include use of borate preservatives to dual-treat wood ties to provide longer service life in high decay environments, non-wood ties made of concrete or plastic, and energy conversion methods for used ties such as gasification and torrefaction. Passage of the EPA Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials (NHSM) rule in 2011, including updates in 2013, 2016, and 2018, is reducing the potential for recycling used ties as fuel. However, the EPA is also promoting use of biological materials, such as wood, to produce energy without increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, thus reducing human caused climate change. Purchase and tie management trends are indicated by the survey results. Approximately 95% of all ties purchased are preservative-treated wood. Due to demonstrated longer service life in high decay zones for wood ties that are dual treated with borate and either creosote or copper naphthenate, the fraction of concrete and plastic tie purchases has decreased while the faction of dual treated wood tie purchases has increased. Recycling used ties for energy remains the most common practice, at 66% of ties, but has declined from 81% in 2013. Reuse of ties for other treated wood uses, such as landscape and agricultural type purposes, remains common at approximately 18%. Landfill disposal remains uncommon, but seems to be increasing at 6% of removed ties. The shift away from recycling for energy is thought to result from the both impact of the EPA NHSM rule and the low cost of natural gas. The smaller market tie users, mainly the short line railroads in contrast to the Class 1 railroads, manage far fewer ties per company, but purchase and manage approximately 31% of all ties. The short lines recycle to landscape and agricultural uses at about half the rate of the Class 1s and dispose in landfills at a much higher rate of 76% versus 1.2% for the Class 1s. This difference is thought to result from the economics and availability of local versus distant management options.
文摘Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to eliminate the fluctuations in train arrival and departure times caused by skewed distributions in interval operation times.These fluctuations arise from random origin and process factors during interval operations and can accumulate over multiple intervals.The aim is to enhance the robustness of high-speed rail station arrival and departure track utilization schemes.Design/methodologylapproach-To achieve this objective,the paper simulates actual train operations,incorporating the fluctuations in interval operation times into the utilization of arrival and departure tracks at the station.The Monte Carlo simulation method is adopted to solve this problem.This approach transforms a nonlinear model,which includes constraints from probability distribution functions and is difficult to solve directly,into a linear programming model that is easier to handle.The method then linearly weights two objectives to optimize the solution.Findings-Through the application of Monte Carlo simulation,the study successfully converts the complex nonlinear model with probability distribution function constraints into a manageable linear programming model.By continuously adjusting the weighting coefficients of the linear objectives,the method is able to optimize the Pareto solution.Notably,this approach does not require extensive scene data to obtain a satisfactory Pareto solution set.Originality/value-The paper contributes to the field by introducing a novel method for optimizing high-speed rail station arrival and departure track utilization in the presence of fluctuations in interval operation times.The use of Monte Carlo simulation to transform the problem into a tractable linear programming model represents a significant advancement.Furthermore,the method's ability to produce satisfactory Pareto solutions without relying on extensive data sets adds to its practical value and applicability in real-world scenarios.
文摘Objective: To observe the effect of hypoxia on the liver function of constructors at high altitude. Method: Select 221 constructors aged 23～42 as subjects, who had worked for 3～6 months at 4500 m. Collect venous blood from fasting subjects and determine GPT by new Lai’s Method from “The Nationwide Clinical Inspection Operating Rules". Results: The study indicated that the GPT of 45 subjects among Group 1 were abnormal, with the proportion of 20.3%. The peak of GPT appeared when subjects exposed to high altitude of 4500m for 1 month, and the mean value was 83.76±9.23.The GPT of workers were higher than that of administers at different altitude (p<0.05). And the GPT of subjects at 4500 m were higher than those at 3500 m (p<0.05). We can find a degrading tendency with the increasing of working time (p<0.05). There was significantly statistic difference between two groups. Conclusions: The study confirmed that hypoxia could cause the change of liver function mildly and moderately. And there was a positive correlation between the degree of hypoxia and liver function. But, the change began to become a decreasing trend when people went on working longer. We also found that the change of liver structure and function at high altitude correlated with several factors else, including labor, individual difference, methods and sensitivity to the test. However, the explanation of its key mechanism deserves further investigation.
文摘The purpose of this article is to contextualize the world’s oldest art song directly associated with the railway-Travelling Song by the Russian composer Mikhail Glinka(1804-1857).The composer’s personal circumstances surrounding the creation of the song are examined,along with the historical and technical background of that era.While railways have always been associated with technological progress,new solutions for high-power engines,and the accuracy of arrival and departure timetables,the poetic and romantic side of train travel and railways in general has not yet received sufficient academic coverage.This essay is intended to partially fill this gap,though it rather outlines directions for possible development of its topical range.Each of the suggested reference points and stories is in itself an example of how the arts reflected the inspiration that cutting-edge technological advances of the period were exerting on artists,musicians,and other creative individuals.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.90102006)the Key Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.KZCX1-SW-04)the"973"National Social Development Research Programme(Grant No.2002CB412704).
文摘Permafrost along the Qinghai-Tibet Railroad produces the great change under the influence of climate change, such as the decreasing of permafrost table, the rising of permafrost temperatures, etc. Climate effect on permafrost is the long-term process. Engineering action makes rapidly permafrost the large extent change. On the basis of analyzing the permafrost change under the climate change and engineering action, the thermal regime and spatial distribution of permafrost are predicted for air temperature rising 1℃ and 2℃ after 50 years in this paper. The results show that climate change results in the larger change for the thermal regime and spatial distribution of permafrost. Permafrost change will produce the great effect on the Qinghai-Tibet Railroad engineering, not only resulting in the decreasing of permafrost table beneath the roadbed, but also resulting in thawing settlement due to the thawing of ground ice near permafrost table. The idea of cooling roadbed and active protecting permafrost for the Qinghai-Tibet Railroad engineering could adjust and control the permafrost thermal state, some better methods are provided to ensure the engineering stability in the areas of warm permafrost and high ice content.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(grant number:52078312).
文摘The freezing and expansion diseases of railroad roadbeds are prevalent in areas that experience seasonal freezing.This study aims to investigate the features of the freezing and expansion mechanism of seasonal frozen railroad roadbeds and the effects of the freezing and expansion diseases on the roadbeds.This article presents a study of the Shuo-Huang Heavy Duty Railway.Initially,on-site monitoring tests were conducted to analyze the roadbed temperature,water content and deformations due to freezing.Through these tests,the pattern of development of the roadbed freezing and swelling was understood,and the effect of this on the vibration response of the roadbed was investigated.Subsequently,load-free freezing tests were performed to investigate the freezing and expansion features of the roadbed.Through on-site monitoring,it has been determined that the seasonal freezing layer is approximately 0.5 m deep.The depth of the frozen expansion on both sides of the road shows clear differences.The frozen and expansion disease significantly amplifies the vibration acceleration of the roadbed,with a tendency towards low-frequency and high-amplitude vibrations.Through indoor testing,we compared the deformation of frozen specimens and their final freeze and expansion rates at different cold-end temperatures and various initial moisture content levels.We find that the initial moisture content has a greater impact on specimen freezing and expansion.The findings in this paper can be used as a reference for researching and addressing roadbed freezing and expansion problems.
