Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQI
Adequate railway track condition is a prerequisite for safe and reliable railway operation. Many track quality indices (TQIs) have been developed with the aim of assessing the track condition holistically. These indices combine measurement signals of some or all relevant geometry parameters with dif...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/23/8490 |
| _version_ | 1797546443662163968 |
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| author | Stefan Offenbacher Johannes Neuhold Peter Veit Matthias Landgraf |
| author_facet | Stefan Offenbacher Johannes Neuhold Peter Veit Matthias Landgraf |
| author_sort | Stefan Offenbacher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adequate railway track condition is a prerequisite for safe and reliable railway operation. Many track quality indices (TQIs) have been developed with the aim of assessing the track condition holistically. These indices combine measurement signals of some or all relevant geometry parameters with different mathematical models. In this paper, a selection of important TQIs is evaluated. Using measurement data of a five kilometer track section, the indices are calculated and their properties are discussed. This study reveals that all indices exhibit drawbacks to varying degrees. As a consequence, a new index has been developed—the track quality index of Graz University of Technology (TUG_TQI). Its favorable characteristics are presented by means of the above-mentioned test section. The TUG_TQI combines all relevant track geometry parameters, which are normalized beforehand to eliminate over or underrepresentation of different parameters. Thus, the index reliably describes the overall geometrical track quality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:29:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2059d5e0e08d4c899811197a870acf67 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:29:45Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2059d5e0e08d4c899811197a870acf672023-11-20T22:39:57ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-11-011023849010.3390/app10238490Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQIStefan Offenbacher0Johannes Neuhold1Peter Veit2Matthias Landgraf3Institute of Railway Engineering and Transport Economy, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, AustriaInstitute of Railway Engineering and Transport Economy, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, AustriaInstitute of Railway Engineering and Transport Economy, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, AustriaInstitute of Railway Engineering and Transport Economy, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, AustriaAdequate railway track condition is a prerequisite for safe and reliable railway operation. Many track quality indices (TQIs) have been developed with the aim of assessing the track condition holistically. These indices combine measurement signals of some or all relevant geometry parameters with different mathematical models. In this paper, a selection of important TQIs is evaluated. Using measurement data of a five kilometer track section, the indices are calculated and their properties are discussed. This study reveals that all indices exhibit drawbacks to varying degrees. As a consequence, a new index has been developed—the track quality index of Graz University of Technology (TUG_TQI). Its favorable characteristics are presented by means of the above-mentioned test section. The TUG_TQI combines all relevant track geometry parameters, which are normalized beforehand to eliminate over or underrepresentation of different parameters. Thus, the index reliably describes the overall geometrical track quality.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/23/8490railway infrastructuretrack qualityquality indexTUG_TQI |
| spellingShingle | Stefan Offenbacher Johannes Neuhold Peter Veit Matthias Landgraf Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQI Applied Sciences railway infrastructure track quality quality index TUG_TQI |
| title | Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQI |
| title_full | Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQI |
| title_fullStr | Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQI |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQI |
| title_short | Analyzing Major Track Quality Indices and Introducing a Universally Applicable TQI |
| title_sort | analyzing major track quality indices and introducing a universally applicable tqi |
| topic | railway infrastructure track quality quality index TUG_TQI |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/23/8490 |
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