MRI602

Unit Description and General Aims

The sole purpose of track is to support the safe and speedy passage of trains carrying passengers, minerals, freight, primary produce, and so on. Although tracks can deteriorate due to environmental factors, the primary source of deterioration is the passage of trains.

Operators want trains to carry larger and larger payloads at ever higher speeds, which induce increasingly large static and dynamic forces on the track. These forces deteriorate the track, this then leads to a rougher ride for the trains, causing even higher dynamic forces down into the track and up into the vehicle.

This Unit is intended to provide students with an understanding of the interaction between track and trains. It builds on and further develops student knowledge of track elements and structure, as discussed in the earlier Units of this Master’s program, by providing an explanation of vehicle design and discussing incidents such as train derailments.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this Unit, students are expected to be able to:

1. Evaluate influencing factors contributing to track-train interaction consequences.
   • Bloom’s Level 5
2. Critically judge and solve problems related to train-track interaction issues.
   • Bloom’s Level 5
3. Design a conceptual track alignment for different traffic tasks.
   • Bloom’s Level 6
4. Validate and test relevant information to determine appropriate maintenance and rectification strategies for track and vehicles resulting from their interaction.
   • Bloom’s Level 5
5. Recommend track geometry standards required for different traffic tasks.
   • Bloom’s Level 5

Student assessment

Prescribed and Recommended readings

Required Textbook(s)

• Study Notes by Rail Innovation Australia (RIA) [existing materials] and other information and materials on their website: http://www.railinnovation.com.au/

Reference Materials

A number of books, peer-reviewed journals, and websites as advised below:

• Esveld, C., Modern Railway Track 2nd ed. MRT Productions, Netherlands. 2011, ISBN 90-800324-3-3. . Available at http://www.esveld.com/MRT.html and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Modern-Railway-Coenraad-Esveld/dp/9080032433.
• ROA blue books (Vol 1 and Vol 2 – correct referencing of this publication to be determined)
• Relevant Australia Standards
• Other materials to be advised during the lectures

Unit Content

One topic is delivered per contact week, with the exception of part-time 24-week units, where one topic is delivered every two weeks.

Topic 1 and 2

Geometry Elements

1. Track geometry for mainline and yards
2. Horizontal alignment elements
3. Vehicles on straights and horizontal curves
4. Transition curves
5. Vertical alignment elements
6. Trains on grades and vertical curves
7. Grade compensation and ruling grades

Topic 3 and 4

Measuring and Managing Track Geometry

1. Alignment design vs. field geometry
2. Track geometry degradation
3. Principles of track geometry measurement
4. Geometry measurement methods
5. Track geometry and ride/ derailment conditions
6. Track geometry standards
7. Treatment of track geometry defects and condition
8. Track geometry maintenance management

Topic 5 and 6

Vehicles

1. Locomotives
2. Rollingstock
3. Basic vehicle design
4. Bogies
5. Wheels

Topic 6

Integration

1. Integration process and Estimation
2. Substitution Method
3. Reimann Sums
4. The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
5. Definite Integrals
6. Standard Integrals

Topic 7

Track Loading

1. The track structure
2. The applied static loads
3. The applied dynamic loads

Topic 8

Vehicle – Track Interaction

1. Conicity
2. Behaviour in straight (tangent) track
3. Behaviour in curved track
4. Wheel unloading and wheel climb
5. Derailment

Topic 9

Forces

1. Vertical
2. Lateral
3. Longitudinal

Topic 10 and 11

Some Consequences of Track – Train Interaction

1. Rail and wheel wear
2. Rail and wheel defects
3. Noise
4. Vibration
5. Derailment

Topic 12

Project and Unit Review

In the final week students will have an opportunity to review the contents covered so far.  Opportunity will be provided for a review of student work and to clarify any outstanding issues.  Instructors/facilitators may choose to cover a specialised topic if applicable to that cohort.

Engineers Australia

The Australian Engineering Stage 1 Competency Standards for the Professional Engineer, approved as of 2013. This table is referenced in the mapping of graduate attributes to learning outcomes and via the learning outcomes to student assessment.

Software/Hardware Used

Software

• Software: N/A

• Version: N/A

•  Instructions: N/A

•  Additional resources or files: N/A

Hardware

• Hardware: N/A

Unit Changes Based on Student Feedback