Sound TRAnsport NETworks (S-TRANET) - Establishing the cause of hazard events on railway infrastructure using a distributed sensor network

A major challenge in the operation and maintenance of railway networks is the management of water. Drainage systems, consisting of a combination of culverts, ditches, embankments, and drainage pipes, are crucial for the safe operation of the railway network. Hazardous events related to such hydrological problems include landslides/rockfalls and derailments, as well as increased wear on the tracks.

The causes can be poor design, lack of maintenance, or inadequate drainage. If these issues are not addressed in time, flooding and instability in the substructure can occur due to ground erosion. This can lead to temporary speed restrictions or the closure of lines to ensure safe operation.

Here, the S-TRANET project led by NORCE plays an important role. The researchers' goal is to develop, validate, and apply a technological framework to monitor hydrological risk and capture hazardous events occurring on the Norwegian railway infrastructure. Furthermore, we aim to establish correlations between hydrological conditions and hazardous events such as landslides and floods.

S-TRANET uses the existing fiber optic communication network already laid along the railway tracks. The researchers conduct geophysical measurements related to water in the ground and set up their own research rigs (as shown in the picture) at suitable locations along existing railway tracks.

The distributed measurements developed by NORCE will enable the rapid detection and localization of hazardous events such as floods, rockfalls, and ground movements. This will allow real-time monitoring of the conditions around the railway tracks in the future and prevent the development of unnecessary hydrological erosions that could hinder safe railway operations. As part of the technological development, the researchers conduct "ground truthing."

The principle is to measure the vibrations of trains as they speed by. Their movement is tracked as waves in the substructure, and this is captured by the fiber optic cable. If there is a lot of water in the ground, different patterns will be observed compared to normal signal detection.