Railway Transport – Measurements
D2S International has a wide range of measurement equipment for all kind of situations and environments.
Noise
Noise measurements are performed for determination of noise emissions from rolling stock (ISO 3095), background measurements, in stations (STI index, RASTI, reverberation time), ISO 1996…
Vibration
Vibration measurements are performed in all sorts of applications with respect to the local or international standards (ISO2631, DIN4150, SBR, …).
EMC Tests
D2S International uses magnetic and electric field antennas to measure the radiated emissions generated by the complete vehicle whilst stationary and slow moving, according to the European standard on electromagnetic compatibility NEN-EN 50121-3-1:2015.
The antennas are placed at a distance of 10 m from the track’s centreline and are connected to an EMI receiver for evaluation.
Magnetic field antennas on the track are also used to measure the located magnetic fields (frequency up to 2 MHz) generated by the train units under frame, according to the European standard on CLC/TS 50238-3:2013.
Stress and strain
Displacement
Large displacements can give rise to increased rail stresses, fatigue cracking or sleeper and ballast deterioration.
Displacement measurements are performed as part of acceptance tests for new track or during regular monitoring to guarantee safety of the transportation system. LVDT sensors are used for this kind of monitoring
Transfer and line source mobility
From the measurements, the transmission of vibrations in the ground is quantified. These measurement data can be used in the prediction models.
Existing vehicles can also be measured to determine an equivalent line source excitation that is inserted into the prediction models.
Ride quality
Ride quality measurements for new railway vehicles
In accordance with the design requirements, D2S International makes ride measurements at the centre of the vehicle body and above the bogie pivot points on the vehicle floor. Also, vibration measurements on seating and wall surfaces are made. Any item which exhibits resonance is investigated and the cause of the resonance identified.
Accelerometers (Wilcoxon and PCB) with flat response characteristics from 0.5 Hz on (battery operated) are used in conjunction with simultaneous acquisition of the signals.
Acquisition of data is normally done on a tangent track successively at different speeds: 20 km/h, 40 km/h, 60 km/h and 80 km/h in both running directions.
The test procedure is in accordance with UIC 518 and EN12299.
Track Decay
DIN/EN 15461 is applicable for these measurements.
Rail Roughness
D2S International operates a Rail Surface Analyser to perform rail roughness measurements.
Rail roughness measurements are performed according to the applicable standards (ISO3095 or EN15610) in order to:
- qualify a site as a candidate to perform rolling stock noise type tests;
- survey rail corrugation and rail roughness;
- for trackwork acceptance after grinding.
The rail roughness and corrugation measurement are performed with a Rail Surface Analyser (RSA) especially designed for these purposes. More information about this device can be found on http://i-moss.com/rsa.
Wheel profile
Wheel profile
MiniProf BT Wheel is a high precision, lightweight and portable tool for performing fast and reliable cross-sectional wheel profile measurements to monitor and analyze the wear of wheels. It is equipped with Bluetooth, has an option for cable connection and comes in few variations depending on your requirements. Magnetically attached to the backside of the wheel, the wheel profile is measured in less than 5 seconds and a complete railroad car in less than five minutes.
MiniProf Wheel Mini
From tram vehicles to locomotives
MiniProf Wheel Mini is the smallest member of the MiniProf Wheel family. With its compact and lightweight design, it is a versatile tool for measuring most types of wheels from compact tram wheels to locomotive wheels.
With only a small 100 mm backplate, it fits right in the palm of your hand and can be used even if only limited measuring space is available. It is fast and easy to operate and provides the same excellent profile accuracy and reliability as always, but without the diameter reading.
MiniProf Wheel 400
For improved diameter measuring
MiniProf Wheel 400 is equipped with a wide 400 mm backplate and is our best option for profile and diameter readings in one single measurement.
Due to the large backplate, diameter readings are improved significantly and are three times less sensitive to the state of the wheel and measuring process compared to MiniProf Wheel 250.
As with most similar tools, the diameter is based on the common used Versine measuring principle and an assumption of an ideal wheel without local deformations. This should always be considered when handling diameter.
Rail profile
MiniProf – Profiling Rail Wear
Aid for rail grinding operations, providing instant information on metal removal and grinding stone tilt, rail maintenance, quality control of new rails
The MiniProf BT Rail provides you with an easy and portable tool to monitor your rail profiles. The fast operation of the MiniProf reduces your exposure on the track.
The MiniProf BT Rail is a unique aid for rail grinding operations, providing instant information on metal removal and grinding stone tilt.
The instant and precise calculation of wear parameters enables you to optimise your maintenance. The MiniProf BT Rail is just as useful in the quality control of new rails.
MiniProf BT Rail
MiniProf BT Rail is a high precision, lightweight and portable tool for performing fast and reliable cross-sectional rail profile measurements to monitor and analyze the wear of rails. It is equipped with Bluetooth, has an option for cable connection and is available for all type of rails, including grooved rails. Magnetically attached to the top of the railhead, the rail profile and track gauge is measured in one single measurement in less than 5 seconds.
Switch add-on
The MiniProf Switch add-on extends a standard MiniProf Rail instrument to measure multiple profiles. It is attached magnetically and can optionally use a telescopic rod for reference to the opposite rail. With the instrument, each rail in a switch or crossing is measured individually and then combined automatically using positional data from the Switch add-on. The result is a measurement containing all profiles placed relative to each other allowing measures to be taken between them.
MiniProf BT Twinhead
In contrast to the standard single head MiniProf BT systems, the MiniProf BT TwinHead systems measure both left and right profile together. This makes it possible to obtain a highly accurate relationship between the two profiles, which is especially important in analyzing running characteristics for rolling stock using for instance equivalent conicity studies. The MiniProf BT TwinHead systems are available for rail and wheel profile measurements.
Geotechnics
D2S International is equipped to measure parameters in soils such as pressure, settlement, humidity, temperature, displacements and many more. The measurements are used to monitor or study the dynamic behaviour of soils.