Spatiotemporal Variability of Lightning Activity over the Railway Network in Sri Lanka with Special Attention to the Proposed Suburban Railway Electrification Network

This study is oriented towards the investigation of the spatiotemporal variability of the lightning activity over the railway network in Sri Lanka using -lightning data from 1998 to 2014 that were downloaded from the database of Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) onboard NASA’s Tropical Rainfall Measuri...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Uruvitiya Gamage Dilaj Maduranga, Mahesh Edirisinghe, Niranga Alahacoon, Manjula Ranagalage
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-07-01
Series:Infrastructures
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/7/7/92
_version_ 1797433492889403392
author Uruvitiya Gamage Dilaj Maduranga
Mahesh Edirisinghe
Niranga Alahacoon
Manjula Ranagalage
author_facet Uruvitiya Gamage Dilaj Maduranga
Mahesh Edirisinghe
Niranga Alahacoon
Manjula Ranagalage
author_sort Uruvitiya Gamage Dilaj Maduranga
collection DOAJ
description This study is oriented towards the investigation of the spatiotemporal variability of the lightning activity over the railway network in Sri Lanka using -lightning data from 1998 to 2014 that were downloaded from the database of Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) onboard NASA’s Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). The study has also been extended to study the lightning activity over the proposed suburban railway electrification network. GIS was used to conduct an annual and seasonal analysis of the railway network, which consists of nine major railway lines, to identify vulnerable stations and segments. The average annual lightning flash density over a 1447 km-long railway network of Sri Lanka varies between 5.08–16.58 flashes/(km<sup>2</sup> year). The railway lines run across the western and southern regions of the country have been identified as being in areas with higher lightning activity. In comparison to other railway lines, the Kelani Valley line in the Colombo district and Colombo-Maradana to Polgahawela segment of the Mainline are particularly vulnerable to lightning activity. These areas have also been recognized as regions with higher population density. The proposed 102 km long railway electrification network in Sri Lanka is also within higher population density segments, with higher lightning flash density values between 10.55–16.53 flashes/(km<sup>2</sup>⋅year). As a result, to improve the operational efficiency of the proposed electrification network, a fully coordinated lightning protection system in accordance with the findings of this study is strongly suggested.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T10:17:46Z
format Article
id doaj.art-d390dbd694384c3bbee53f977725c37d
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2412-3811
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T10:17:46Z
publishDate 2022-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Infrastructures
spelling doaj.art-d390dbd694384c3bbee53f977725c37d2023-12-01T22:17:03ZengMDPI AGInfrastructures2412-38112022-07-01779210.3390/infrastructures7070092Spatiotemporal Variability of Lightning Activity over the Railway Network in Sri Lanka with Special Attention to the Proposed Suburban Railway Electrification NetworkUruvitiya Gamage Dilaj Maduranga0Mahesh Edirisinghe1Niranga Alahacoon2Manjula Ranagalage3Department of Physics, University of Colombo, Colombo 00300, Sri LankaDepartment of Physics, University of Colombo, Colombo 00300, Sri LankaInternational Water Management Institute (IWMI), 127, Sunil Mawatha, Pelawatte, Batteramulla, Colombo 10120, Sri LankaDepartment of Environmental Management, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale 50300, Sri LankaThis study is oriented towards the investigation of the spatiotemporal variability of the lightning activity over the railway network in Sri Lanka using -lightning data from 1998 to 2014 that were downloaded from the database of Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) onboard NASA’s Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). The study has also been extended to study the lightning activity over the proposed suburban railway electrification network. GIS was used to conduct an annual and seasonal analysis of the railway network, which consists of nine major railway lines, to identify vulnerable stations and segments. The average annual lightning flash density over a 1447 km-long railway network of Sri Lanka varies between 5.08–16.58 flashes/(km<sup>2</sup> year). The railway lines run across the western and southern regions of the country have been identified as being in areas with higher lightning activity. In comparison to other railway lines, the Kelani Valley line in the Colombo district and Colombo-Maradana to Polgahawela segment of the Mainline are particularly vulnerable to lightning activity. These areas have also been recognized as regions with higher population density. The proposed 102 km long railway electrification network in Sri Lanka is also within higher population density segments, with higher lightning flash density values between 10.55–16.53 flashes/(km<sup>2</sup>⋅year). As a result, to improve the operational efficiency of the proposed electrification network, a fully coordinated lightning protection system in accordance with the findings of this study is strongly suggested.https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/7/7/92lightninglightning safetyrailway networkrailway safetytransportation safety
spellingShingle Uruvitiya Gamage Dilaj Maduranga
Mahesh Edirisinghe
Niranga Alahacoon
Manjula Ranagalage
Spatiotemporal Variability of Lightning Activity over the Railway Network in Sri Lanka with Special Attention to the Proposed Suburban Railway Electrification Network
Infrastructures
lightning
lightning safety
railway network
railway safety
transportation safety
title Spatiotemporal Variability of Lightning Activity over the Railway Network in Sri Lanka with Special Attention to the Proposed Suburban Railway Electrification Network
title_full Spatiotemporal Variability of Lightning Activity over the Railway Network in Sri Lanka with Special Attention to the Proposed Suburban Railway Electrification Network
title_fullStr Spatiotemporal Variability of Lightning Activity over the Railway Network in Sri Lanka with Special Attention to the Proposed Suburban Railway Electrification Network
title_full_unstemmed Spatiotemporal Variability of Lightning Activity over the Railway Network in Sri Lanka with Special Attention to the Proposed Suburban Railway Electrification Network
title_short Spatiotemporal Variability of Lightning Activity over the Railway Network in Sri Lanka with Special Attention to the Proposed Suburban Railway Electrification Network
title_sort spatiotemporal variability of lightning activity over the railway network in sri lanka with special attention to the proposed suburban railway electrification network
topic lightning
lightning safety
railway network
railway safety
transportation safety
url https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/7/7/92
work_keys_str_mv AT uruvitiyagamagedilajmaduranga spatiotemporalvariabilityoflightningactivityovertherailwaynetworkinsrilankawithspecialattentiontotheproposedsuburbanrailwayelectrificationnetwork
AT maheshedirisinghe spatiotemporalvariabilityoflightningactivityovertherailwaynetworkinsrilankawithspecialattentiontotheproposedsuburbanrailwayelectrificationnetwork
AT nirangaalahacoon spatiotemporalvariabilityoflightningactivityovertherailwaynetworkinsrilankawithspecialattentiontotheproposedsuburbanrailwayelectrificationnetwork
AT manjularanagalage spatiotemporalvariabilityoflightningactivityovertherailwaynetworkinsrilankawithspecialattentiontotheproposedsuburbanrailwayelectrificationnetwork