Prediction of cyclic top events
AssigneeNetwork Rail Infrastructure Limited
InventorAndrew Nwichi-Holdsworth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of predicting a cyclic top event in a rail, the method comprises analysing track geometry measurement data to obtain peaks at points along the rail for one or more wavelengths at a plurality of the different time points. For each of the plurality of different time points for at least one wavelength, a length of rail containing at least two amplitude peaks above a first threshold is identified as a risk site for a cyclic top event. For each risk site, an accumulated amplitude value is predicted for at least one future point in time based on the measurement data for consecutive peaks within the risk site above the first threshold.
Claims19
A method of predicting a cyclic top event in a rail, the method comprising:
- receiving measurement data indicating variations in height of the rail along the length of the rail at different time points;
- analysing the measurement data to obtain peaks at points along the rail for one or more wavelengths at each of a plurality of the different time points;
- for each of the plurality of different time points for at least one wavelength, identifying a length of rail containing at least two amplitude peaks above a first threshold as a risk site for a cyclic top event;
- for each risk site, predicting an accumulated amplitude value for at least one future point in time based on the measurement data for consecutive peaks within the risk site above the first threshold.
The method of any preceding claim wherein the first threshold is 4.5 mm.
The method of any preceding claim wherein the peaks are identified for multiple wavelengths.
The method of any preceding claim wherein peak amplitudes for multiple wavelengths are used in the identification of one or more risk sites.
The method of any preceding claim wherein the one or more wavelengths are predetermined from knowledge of the rail geometry and/or the geometry of vehicles that use the rail.
The method of any preceding claim comprising aligning the peaks obtained for different points in time prior to the determining and predicting accumulated amplitude values.
The method of any preceding claim comprising generating an alert if the accumulated amplitude value exceeds a predetermined threshold or if the accumulated amplitude value is predicted to exceed a predetermined threshold within a predetermined period.
The method of any preceding claim comprising, for each risk site at each of the plurality of time points, determining from the measurement data an accumulated amplitude value for consecutive peaks within the risk site above the first threshold, wherein the predicted accumulated amplitude value is determined from the determined accumulated amplitude values.
Use of the method of any preceding claim for predicting cyclic top in a rail track comprising two rails, wherein peak amplitudes for both rails are used in the identification of one or more risk sites.
A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when implemented in a processor in a computing system cause the system to perform a method according to any preceding claim.
A computing system comprising a processor configured to perform a method according to any preceding claim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.