<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="https://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
  <channel>
    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
    <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=PHNlYXJjaD48cGFyYW1zPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJkYXRlaW4iIHZhbHVlPSJhbGwiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9InN1YmplY3Rsb2dpYyIgdmFsdWU9Im9yIiAvPjxwYXJhbSBuYW1lPSJ0ZXJtc2xvZ2ljIiB2YWx1ZT0ib3IiIC8+PHBhcmFtIG5hbWU9ImxvY2F0aW9uIiB2YWx1ZT0iMCIgLz48L3BhcmFtcz48ZmlsdGVycz48ZmlsdGVyIGZpZWxkPSJpbmRleHRlcm1zIiB2YWx1ZT0iJnF1b3Q7U3dpdGNoJnF1b3Q7IiBvcmlnaW5hbF92YWx1ZT0iJnF1b3Q7U3dpdGNoJnF1b3Q7IiAvPjwvZmlsdGVycz48cmFuZ2VzIC8+PHNvcnRzPjxzb3J0IGZpZWxkPSJwdWJsaXNoZWQiIG9yZGVyPSJkZXNjIiAvPjwvc29ydHM+PHBlcnNpc3RzPjxwZXJzaXN0IG5hbWU9InJhbmdldHlwZSIgdmFsdWU9InB1Ymxpc2hlZGRhdGUiIC8+PC9wZXJzaXN0cz48L3NlYXJjaD4=" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
      <url>https://trid.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle.jpg</url>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Digital tvilling med LCC-optimering för effektivare underhåll av spårväxlar</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2440053</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The goal of the project is to develop a method that can determine the maintenance and reinvestment efforts that minimize the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) of an individual turnout. The method is intended to consist of two parts. First, a Digital Twin that describes the physical condition of the turnout using a simulation model that is continuously updated with data from on-track inspections, inspection cars and remote monitoring. The simulation model will also have the ability to predict future conditions. The second part consists of a cost optimization where the turnout’s LCC is evaluated for different choices of maintenance and reinvestment choices using the Digital Twin. The project is expected to contribute to improved maintenance optimization methods that can be generalized to other areas, as well as lower LCC for turnouts. When the project is finalized, there will be scientific publications describing the method as well as a demonstration of the method for a small number of selected turnouts through computer implementation. The project does not aim to develop a commercial product.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 10 Oct 2024 14:37:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2440053</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluating the mix of maintenance activities on railway crossings with respect to life-cycle costs</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2417124</link>
      <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:50:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2417124</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Teknisk riskanalys för urspårning med fokus på spårviddsminskning i spårväxlar</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2269707</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The project sets out from a feasibility study (Dnr TRV 2020/103978). There, it was concluded that current regulations for switch rail control are based on a one-page report from 1987, the results of which can neither be verified or falsified. It has also been concluded that the equipment for switch rail control currently used is a uniquely Swedish solution. International experience, and initial preliminary calculations are indicating that the “bad, normal case” that has been studied, cannot cause derailments. At the same time, it has been concluded that there is a lack in knowledge on current levels of safety and how these are affected by modifications. More precise methods to establish these levels is something that has also been requested by the Swedish Transport Agency during talks within the feasibility study. This continuation of the feasibility study will develop the basis for a detailed risk analysis following the CSM-RA regarding consequences of switch rail control. This work will need to consider the influence of several influential factors in detail. These include the length of the switch rail, distance between switch control points, rail dimensions etc. Note that the feasibility study only considered a “bad normal case”. The work will require development of improved simulation methods. These will be employed to simulate different operational scenarios to compare with results from field tests and statistics from operational switches. This work represents stage 1 of the project. It is a specific application of a technical risk analysis supported by numerical simulations and statistical evaluations. Such analyses are of high value also for other applications. In stage 2, this will be employed by widening the scope to combine operational knowledge of the system with railway mechanic simulations and statistical evaluations in high quality risk analyses. Such analyses do not only investigate under which pre-requisites (safety critical) failures occur, but also the probability (risk quantification), related consequences, and the uncertainties in the analyses. The methodology is applied to geometric faults of switches & crossings. The influence of geometric faults on the risk of derailment is investigated and coupled to a statistical investigation of the risk of derailments. The research provides a better basis for inspections and alarm limits. It will also demonstrate benefits of a more general use of numerical simulations in risk analyses. The methodology and knowledge generated by the project will be of use both in investigating risks of failure for existing systems and components, and in improving homologation procedures for new products. Without such simulation-based procedures, it is not possible to fulfil current demands to ensure that new products are equally (or more) safe than existing products.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 16 Oct 2023 09:26:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2269707</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Remote isolating and rail connecting: the conception of the “e-DT” and the “feeder circuit status evaluator”</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925442</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The time taken to undertake the switching to remove and restore traction supply can be a significant percentage of the available working time on track. It can also cause significant delay in incident response. Remote control has been commonplace for more than 40 years and high integrity control systems are now well understood. Traditionally field operators have proved high voltage equipment to be safe to short circuit, applied the short circuits, and then secured the isolation and short circuit. Innovation has been necessary to allow these functions to be undertaken remotely. The implementation of remote switching for approach or contact by persons also requires significant cultural change and the new technology must be synergistic with this. This paper describes the development of the requirement sets for two new types of equipment. The e-DT is a remotely controlled DANGER – Do Not Operate tag, designed to be used in conjunction with a protocol in which the information normally recorded on the tag is now held in the SCADA Master Station. The Feeder Circuit Status Evaluator provides continuous remote indication of the status of the feeder circuit: Live or Safe to Rail Connect; and Rail Connected or not.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2022 14:21:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925442</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Mitigation of derailment risks at switches through appropriate design of wear gauges</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925432</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To mitigate the risk of derailment in turnouts, switch wear gauges are often used in conjunction with appropriate switch inspection and monitoring processes. The design of appropriate switch wear gauges requires consideration of turnout design and in-service rail and wheel profile characteristics of the specific railway network. In this paper, an overview of three common design methods was provided. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the three methods were discussed. An alternative design approach, which combines two of the common methods, was described. The use of multi-body dynamic simulation and static wheel/rail contact analysis to evaluate the appropriateness of the designed gauges was also demonstrated. Results show that the gauges designed using the alternative method can provide sufficient protection against both frontal and side attack derailment risks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2022 14:21:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925432</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Using augmented reality to assist track inspectors for turnout inspections</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925426</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Routine inspection of turnouts (switches) is one of the most important maintenance activities for rail network operators to ensure safe passage for trains running through a switch rail. Commonly, hand-held inspection tools are used by track inspectors to visually inspect and assess the switch rail conditions in order to mitigate any derailments hazards associated with wear and/or any defects on both the stock and switch rail. Therefore, the identification and assessment of any fault or defect heavily relies on the experience and competency of the track inspectors. Recent advancement in Augmented Reality (AR) and Photogrammetry make those an ideal tool for providing support to track inspectors for consistent and proper assessment of rail switch inspection. AR is an interactive process which digitally combines virtual objects onto real-world objects. The effectiveness of overlaying information onto real objects will be able to eliminate the need for manual documentation. Photogrammetry uses the fundamental principle of triangulation to capture a photograph of a physical object where metric information of the corresponding object can be obtained. This paper describes the development of a mobile application that uses the concept of AR and Photogrammetry to efficiently and reliably inspect rail switches.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2022 14:21:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925426</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Expanding our understanding of the not so insignificant rail expansion joint</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925421</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The humble rail expansion joint, also known as an expansion switch, breather switch, has been employed around the world in the broader rail industry for many years. However, some recent local projects have highlighted the industry’s lack of understanding of when and how they should be implemented. There are a number of different types of expansion joints available and they each have their applications and limitations. The application of rail expansion joints/breather switches has proved to be a challenge on Metro projects with elevated corridors, where slab track form of construction has been adopted. The distance and orientation of the breather switch in relation to the viaduct structure expansion joint is crucial to the success in resolving differential movement. The relationship between structure movement joints and special track work can also be a significant issue. There are also a number of circumstances where rail expansion joints are employed on conventional ballasted track form, in addition to where jointed track interfaces with continuously welded rail (CWR). This paper highlights some examples of the successful and not so successful implementation of rail expansion joints/breather switches. It describes how a better understanding of the actual mechanical function in relation to rail and structure movement, and of the various joint types, could have significantly improved the project outcomes. Applications relating to bridges and viaducts, track stressing and ground movement are discussed, in both heavy rail and light rail environments. The various types of expansion joint are analysed and their operational constraints described. This paper also challenges the functional performance of a mainstream breather switch standard design and its application to a recently constructed metro project. This paper aims to improve the understanding of rail expansion joints and consequently enable a more appropriate detailing of solutions where rail movement must be accommodated.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2022 14:21:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925421</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The operator pathway to remote isolation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925393</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This paper details an incremental approach to the development and implementation of the HV remote isolation system as proposed by ART. The paper explores the many benefits of remote isolation; it also explores the challenges associated with the implementation of such system and how a step-by-step pathway can reduce the impact of its deployment both technically and commercially. The paper utilises the motorised switching system implemented by the Pakenham East Train Stabling and Maintenance Depot for the new HCMT fleet as well as the remote switching system implemented by the NRT project of the new Sydney Metro network as case studies to demonstrate an intermediate implementation of the proposed four-step pathway to full remote isolation. It details the architectures of these systems, their current and potential impact, and how they can advance the efficiency on the operation of the rail network.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2022 14:20:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1925393</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A vulnerability analysis of rail network disruptions during winter weather in the Netherlands</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1864438</link>
      <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2021 15:16:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1864438</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Integrated high speed turnout</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1722538</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Speed increase of railway vehicles over 200 km/h has a significant impact on turnout reliability and safety. Implementation of high speed train sets changes the nature of dynamic interactions between rail and wheel. Therefore tests of railway turnouts have to be conducted again, re-analyzed what will lead to implementation of: 1. new standards for development and production of turnouts, 2. turnout transport and installation in blocks, 3. new structural solutions for critical turnout elements, 4. autonomous diagnostic systems, 5. implementation of data acquisition and analysis system, 6.turnout integration with drives, heating system and remote diagnostics. Scientific research conducted in cooperation with the suppliers of superstructure, railway signalling and IT products led to a new approach to the turnout as one system. In particularly remote diagnostics need innovative solutions from the area of IT using the Internet of Things, acquiring and processing of Big Data, learning algorithms and it will be even more important in the future. The paper emphasizes that in the case of a high speed railway turnout, it is necessary to resign from the classical model of system decomposition - breaking a system into subsystems like rail road, railway signaling and energy. Elements of all these subsystems are present in every turnout. E.g. for maintenance of each subsystem element, in the same turnout, in the classic approach, another person is responsible. This has got a large impact on the technical availability and operational parameters of the given turnout as a whole. It is postulated that the high speed railway turnout should be designed, tested, approved and operated as one integrated system. Only such an approach can ensure its high reliability, maintainability and safety.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2020 11:52:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1722538</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Towards simulation-based optimisation of materials in railway crossings</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1652362</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Railway crossings are subjected to an intense load environment caused by the rail discontinuities needed to accommodate the passage of wheel flanges in intersecting traffic directions. This gives rise to high costs associated with repair and maintenance. For given traffic conditions, several approaches can be undertaken to mitigate the material degradation and hence reduce the life cycle cost. In the present thesis, the option of selecting a more suitable crossing material is explored.  To obtain a guideline for material selection, the in-track performance of different materials during the life of a crossing needs to be predicted. In this work, an existing simulation methodology is extended to improve robustness and computational efficiency. The methodology is able to account for the dynamic vehicle-track interaction, resolve the elasto-plastic wheel-rail contact, and account for the main damage mechanisms related to the running surface of a crossing.  In this thesis, the methodology is updated with a metamodel for plastic wheel-rail normal contact that is introduced to meet the computational challenge of a large number of finite element simulations. The metamodel is inspired by the contact theory of Hertz, and for a given material it computes the size of the contact patch and the maximum contact pressure as a function of the normal force and the local curvatures of the bodies in contact. The model is calibrated based on finite element simulations with an elasto-plastic material model. It is shown that the metamodel can yield accurate results while accounting for the inelastic material behaviour.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Sep 2019 10:34:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1652362</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Intermodel Comparison Between Switch 2.0 and GE MAPS: Evaluating a New Tool for Integrated Modeling of Electric Vehicles and High-Renewable Power Systems</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1573722</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Electric Vehicles (EVs) could help increase energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using electricity produced from clean, domestic sources instead of imported oil. This benefit could be enhanced if EVs are adopted in high-renewable power systems and are charged at the times when renewable power is most abundant, producing a win-win arrangement in which EVs enable greater adoption of renewable power in the grid. With its unique geography and current fossil fuel based energy infrastructure combined with its aggressive renewable energy goals, Hawaii forms an ideal site for large-scale adoption of EVs in the future. This report presents results from the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) at the University of Hawaii’s (UH’s) project on the “Effect of Electric Vehicles on Power System Expansion and Operation,” in partnership with the Electric Vehicle Transportation Center at the University of Central Florida. This project’s overall focus is on studying the synergies between well-timed EV charging and the design and operation of high-renewable power systems. This work requires high-quality, validated models of electric power systems. To support this effort, UH investigators configured the Switch power system model similarly to the GE Multi-Area Production Simulation (GE MAPS) model, as it was used by GE Energy Consulting for HNEI’s recent Hawaii Renewable Portfolio Standards Study. GE MAPS is a widely respected and frequently used production-cost model for power systems. When configured with similar input data, researchers found that the two models agree very closely on how high-renewable power systems would be operated, including hourly production from individual power plants, annual curtailment rates for renewable energy facilities, and total annual production from different power sources. The models agree on 97 percent of the variation in curtailment and 65–100 percent of the variation in generator usage across 17 diverse scenarios of renewable energy and transmission deployment on Oahu and Maui. This work gave investigators confidence to continue using Switch to investigate interactions and synergies between EV charging and high-renewable power systems.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Dec 2018 12:19:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1573722</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Optimal Harvest Time of Switchgrass</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1229906</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The goal of this project is to determine how time of harvest affects the plants ability to survive winter and re-grow the next season by examining the effect time of harvest on total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) and other macronutrients that get stored in the root system. Determining when the maximum amount of nutrients (N, K, Cl) have left the stalk and moved back into the root system will help maximize the efficiency nutrient cycling and demonstrate differences in slag formation when switchgrass biomass from different harvest dates is burned. Since switchgrass is being grown as a biofuel for heating as well as cellulosic ethanol, it is important to evaluate silicon and alkali metal contents in the harvested crop, as these could contribute to air pollution. The project will document the extent that mineral content in the biomass is a function of the soil type and the timing of harvest. Two particular nutrients of interest are nitrogen and sulfur because during combustion these are likely to produce the primary air pollutants NO2 and SO2. These air pollutants are highly regulated by the Clean Air Act and taken into consideration when developing switchgrass as a biofuel. Marginal land may contain contaminates and it is therefore important to evaluate how time of harvest will impact the overall quality of the fuel product from marginal soils. The goal of the applied research in this project are to provide much requested information for growing biofuel crops particularly on underutilized or marginal land so as not to compete with land currently producing food crops.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:50:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1229906</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Integrated Kudzu Control on Mississippi Roadsides</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1138542</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Kudzu is among the top weed threats in Mississippi and is found on many roadsides and right-of-ways. The present research evaluated the efficacy of several previously undocumented tools for the eradication of kudzu, including the use of alternative herbicides, the use of the pathogen Myrothecium verrucaria and the integration of multiple methods to bring about more rapid kudzu eradication. Field trials with herbicides were conducted in triplicate at three locations over two years and demonstrated 95% or better control in at least one location with Chaparral, Escort, Milestone, RemedyUltra, Streamline, Transline and Vista, as measured 11 months after initial treatment. Integrated treatment programs, including various combinations of: broadcast application of Milestone VM+; applications of the bioherbicide  Myrothecium verrucaria; mowing and spot treatments with Vista and Escort; and planing of switchgrass were all very effective in controlling kudzu. Zero kudzu was detected in many of these treatment plots the following season, and plots planted in switchgrass were well-established. In a supplemental greenhouse-based experiment, nine herbicides that might be used to aid in transitioning a site from kudzu to native perennial grasses were tested for compatibility with seven grass species. While there were many important specific herbicide-species interactions, many of the kudzu herbicides were well-tolerated by the grasses.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 15:05:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1138542</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development of life cycle cost model and analyses for railway switches and crossings</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1097504</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Infrastructure managers need to have a safe and available infrastructure, so that train operators can deliver a transport product at an affordable price. In the future, as traffic volume increases, higher utilisation of the existing capacity, less time for maintenance and fewer unplanned interruptions will be critical for meeting the ever increasing need of transport capacity. Improved performance and added capacity on the existing track can be achieved by optimising the operation and maintenance of infrastructure systems. In general, RAMS (Reliability, Availability and Maintainability and Safety) and LCC (Life cycle cost)-analyses are used as tools to optimize the performance of infrastructure and make it economically viable. RAMS analysis is used to establish the need of maintenance by analysing corrective and preventive maintenance data. LCC is a method of highlighting the cost for investment, operation, maintenance and unplanned interruptions throughout an asset's life cycle. Switches and crossings (S and Cs) are one of the major subsystems in the superstructure of the railway. The major function of an S and C is to allow trains to shift from one track to another track in a safe way. To enable this, an S and C consists of movable and fixed mechanical parts, as well as signalling and electrical systems. Each of these systems has a need for maintenance and is susceptible to failures which ultimately lead to train disturbances. The investment costs for new S and Cs are high and the technical lifespan is often very long (over 40 years). Therefore, the maintenance cost is considerable. If the S and C is causing many train interruptions, the cost for train delays is also an important factor for consideration. During the course of this research study, reliability and maintainability characteristics of switches and crossings are analysed using real data from Banverket. In addition, an LCC model is developed using information from Banverket. By applying this model, correct maintenance and investment decisions can be made. Some parts of the Research work have been performed within the European Framework of FP 6 IP Project INNOTRACK with a goal of reducing the LCC of infrastructure by 30 per cent. This research study confirms that the infrastructure managers have enough data to apply the LCC models for the S and Cs. The model developed can be used to evaluate new S and C designs and to take decisions regarding alternatives for S and C specification to be used under different traffic situations. Also the issue of decisions regarding renewal versus extended life through maintenance is highlighted by use of the LCC model (A). http://pure.ltu.se/ws/fbspretrieve/3353789.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:25:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1097504</guid>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>