A review on existing sensors and devices for inspecting railway infrastructure

Abstract

This paper presents a review of sensors and inspection devices employed to inspect railway defects and track geometry irregularities. Inspection of rail defects is an important task in railway infrastructure management systems, and data derived from inspections can feed railway degradation prediction models. These models are utilised for predicting potential defects and implementing preventive maintenance activities. In this paper, different sensors for detecting rail defects and track irregularities are presented, and various inspection devices which utilise these sensors are investigated. In addition, the classification of the sensors and inspection devices based on their capabilities and specifications is carried out, which has not been fully addressed in previous studies. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) sensors, cameras and accelerometers are among sensors investigated here. Correspondingly, trolleys, Condition Monitoring Systems (CMS), hi-rail vehicles and Track Recording Vehicles (TRV) are among major inspection devices that their capabilities are studied. Furthermore, the application of new devices, including smartphones and drones, in railway inspection and their potential capabilities are discussed. The review of previous and recent approaches shows that CMSs are more cost-effective and accessible than other railway inspection methods, as they can be carried out on in-service vehicles an unlimited number of times without disruption to normal train traffic. In addition, recently smartphones as a compact inspection device with a variety of sensors are employed to measure acceleration data, which can be considered as an indicator of rail track condition.