Sensonic
Track Condition Monitoring
The Sensonic Track Condition Monitoring Application (TCM) aids track maintainers in targeted predictive and preventive track maintenance.
TCM provides track maintainers with information on the evolution of track vibration. This empowers them to determine the condition of the track and helps them with:
- Optimising track maintenance budgets
- Condition-based maintenance
- Assessing the efficacy of track maintenance and repair interventions
- Improved overall track health
- Higher operational safety and availability
To achieve this, TCM continuously monitors the complete track by means of Fibre Optic Sensing (FOS) – using just one single dark fiber of a fiber optical cable. The vibration data is collected by the Sensonic Edge Device and analysed by algorithms. Holistic information on the condition of tracks is provided through periodic reports. These reports contain heatmaps showing the evolution of track vibration over a certain period. The heatmap information is based on the Sonic Track Index (STI), a reliable indicator that highlights degraded locations.
Vibration-based Insights for Track Maintenance
- Preventive & predictive maintenance
- Targeted maintenance leading to efficient allocation of maintenance resources
- Targeted track renewals & repairs
- Tighter control of track parameters in context of high speed traffic
Improve Efficiency of Track Maintenance
Maintenance costs
- Target inspection and maintenance towards vibration hotspots
- Assess efficacy of track repair intervention
- Facilitate better supply chain planning
- Reduce repair costs due to early identification
Operational costs
- Maintain undisrupted train traffic
- Reduce costs for unavailable tracks
Safety
- Find defects not revealed in regular inspections
- Enhance track worker safety
- Increase safety by avoiding critical track defects
Technology
Sensonic pioneers new technologies, making it possible to monitor your entire railway network at any given moment in time. Therefore, the TCM Application
- is based on Fiber Optic Sensing
- continuously monitors the vibrational changes against a given reference
- along the track of the monitored route
- on a 24×7 basis for every traversing train
Applying FOS for Track Condition Monitoring is especially beneficial:
- Minimal investment and follow-up costs
- Use existing fiber optical cables as acoustic sensor
- No onboarding equipment on trains
- Easy installation
- Non-intrusive
- Improved Maintenance Efficiency and Track Health
