A dynamic programming method for matching rail-track monitoring data

Abstract

A commonly used method of monitoring the condition of rail track is to run an inspection vehicle over the track at intervals of about 3 months. Measurements of several geometric properties of the track are automatically recorded about every 900 mm, resulting in long sequences of data (signals) arising from runs of up to 100 km. Condition monitoring is done by comparing the results of a current run with those of a previously recorded reference run. Before this can be done, the two signals need to be aligned so that corresponding distance measurements in each signal actually refer to the same point on the track. A procedure for matching the two signals is presented, which has at its heart a dynamic programming method. The procedure is demonstrated on data from rail tracks in Australia.

Keywords:

• dynamic programming
• rail transport
• maintenance
• signal matching

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Jim Kennedy and John Latella of the New South Wales Rail Infrastructure Corporation for allowing use of their data and to a colleague, Michael Buckley, for useful discussions at the start of the research.