INSTRTUMENTATION SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY TRACK VIBRATION DETECTION BY PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTALS
T. K. Mitra Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering & Technology University of Calcutta, 92, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Calcutta 700 009
Keywords: Piezoelectric effect, Vibration, Railway track, Fish plates, Instrumentation
ABSTRACT
In the present paper Piezo-electric crystals have been used for NDT study for railway track vibrations. These railway track vibrations are generated when wheel and axles of running trains hit the fish plates. The impact load induced vibrations travel through the rails at velocities higher than that of the trains. As a result the vibrations reach a response point well ahead of the train when the train physically reaches the said response point. The X-axis component of vibrations travel longitudinally along the rail. The transverse components of vibrations are along Y and Z axis directions. The Y-axis transverse component of vibration can be detected by piezoelectric crystals as sensors placed in the wedge of the rails. The response time of the system also depends on type of the sleepers used in that part of the railway track. The suitability of these types of sensors for automatic warning system instrumentation for approaching trains at the unmanned level crossing gates have been discussed.
Publication Source: Trends in NDE Science & Technology; Proceedings of the 14th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing, New Delhi, 8-13 December 1996.Vol. 2, pages 1137 - 1140 Publisher:Ashgate Publishing Company
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