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Title:

Railroad Bridge Inspections for Maintenance and Replacement Prioritization Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) with Laser Capabilities

Accession Number:

01663357

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

Measurement of bridge displacements is important to ensure the safe operation of railway bridges. Traditionally contact sensors like Linear Variable Displacement Transducers (LVDT) and accelerometers have been used to measure the displacement of the railway bridges. These sensors however, need significant effort in installation and maintenance. Sensors like LVDT, along with being contact sensors, require a reference calibration for proper measurement. Accelerometers, on the other hand, although reference free, still need to be installed in contact with the structure being measured. This is not usually affordable for inspection budgets for all bridges, and not even possible in cases as many of them are located in the remote and inaccessible location. This paper aims to provide a reference free and non-contact approach to measure the bridge displacement using one vibrometer carried by non-contact means to the site, so it can be placed parallel to the bridge during the train crossing and measure the lateral displacement. The results obtained showed how the displacement can be collected with a laser that is placed with different angles to the surface. Similarly, the laser is moved in different motions and the results are corrected and compared with the LVDT. Finally, the response of the drone is also collected for initial benchmarking. The future phase of research includes attaching the laser to the drone in laboratory settings to correct the drone motion and to obtain total displacement readings of the bridge. Results from this research will determine new laser and drone development requirements for practical non-contact, reference-free displacement measurement of bridge crossing responses in the field without fouling the track.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHD30 Standing Committee on Structures Maintenance.

Report/Paper Numbers:

18-06761

Language:

English

Authors:

Moreu, Fernando
Garg, Piyush
Ayorinde, Emmanuel

Pagination:

15p

Publication Date:

2018

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; Photos; References; Tables

Subject Areas:

Bridges and other structures; Maintenance and Preservation; Railroads

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2018 Paper #18-06761

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Jan 8 2018 11:45AM