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US-12617439-B2 - Transportation operation fault detection

US12617439B2US 12617439 B2US12617439 B2US 12617439B2US-12617439-B2

Abstract

An impact load detector can include a rigid object affixed to a structure for which an impact is to be evaluated. The detector can include one or more sensors which are configured to acquire impact data corresponding to an effect the impact on the structure has on the rigid object. The detector can include a data processor that processes the impact data to evaluate for a presence of a set of faults.

Inventors

  • Zahid F. Mian

Assignees

  • INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONIC MACHINES CORP.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20211217

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A fault detector comprising: an enclosure including an object, wherein the enclosure is configured to be affixed to a structure for which a force affecting the structure is to be evaluated, wherein the structure is a single beam, wherein opposing ends of the object are affixed in the enclosure and the object is otherwise unrestrained and a long axis of the object is configured to be spaced from the enclosure and the structure and in parallel with a long axis of the structure; a set of sensors for acquiring impact data corresponding to an effect the force affecting the structure has on the object; and a data processor configured to process the impact data to evaluate for a presence of a set of faults.
  2. 2 . The fault detector of claim 1 , wherein the set of sensors includes at least one strain gauge affixed to the object, wherein the impact data includes strain data corresponding to a strain experienced by the object.
  3. 3 . The fault detector of claim 1 , wherein the set of sensors includes at least one accelerometer affixed to the object, wherein the impact data includes acceleration data corresponding to an acceleration experienced by the object.
  4. 4 . The fault detector of claim 1 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor for acquiring temperature data, wherein the data processor is configured to compensate raw impact data acquired by at least one sensor in the set of sensors based on the temperature data, and wherein the data processor uses the compensated impact data to evaluate for the presence of the set of faults.
  5. 5 . The fault detector of claim 1 , wherein the object is a metal beam, and wherein opposing ends of the object are affixed to the structure such that the force that affects the structure has a similar effect on the object.
  6. 6 . The fault detector of claim 1 , wherein the structure is a single rail of a railroad track, and wherein the set of faults includes a rail wheel flat spot.
  7. 7 . The fault detector of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting unit including at least one enclosure including the enclosure, wherein, the set of sensors and the data processor are located within the at least one enclosure.
  8. 8 . The fault detector of claim 7 , wherein the mounting unit includes a plurality of studs configured to separate the at least one enclosure from the single beam.
  9. 9 . The fault detector of claim 7 , wherein the mounting unit includes a plurality of clamps for removably securing the mounting unit to the single beam.
  10. 10 . The fault detector of claim 1 , wherein the data processor is configured to acquire remote sensor data from at least one other sensing device via a wired or wireless communications solution, and wherein the data processor uses the remote sensor data to evaluate for the presence of at least one of the set of faults.
  11. 11 . The fault detector of claim 10 , wherein the beam is a rail of a railroad track or a support member of a bridge, and wherein the remote sensor data comprises data corresponding to a speed of a passing vehicle.
  12. 12 . The fault detector of claim 1 , wherein the data processor is further configured to provide data corresponding to at least one of: an impact event or the presence of at least one of the set of faults, for processing on a remote processing system.
  13. 13 . A rail wheel evaluation system comprising: a fault detector comprising: an enclosure; an object located within the enclosure, wherein the enclosure is configured to be affixed to a single rail of a railroad track for which a force affecting the single rail is to be evaluated, wherein opposing ends of the object are affixed in the enclosure and the object is otherwise unrestrained and a long axis of the object is configured to be spaced from the enclosure and the structure and in parallel with a long axis of the structure; a set of sensors for acquiring impact data corresponding to an effect the force affecting the single rail has on the object; and a data processor configured to process the impact data to evaluate for a presence of a set of faults; and a remote processing system, wherein the remote processing system is configured to process data corresponding to at least one of: an impact event or the presence of at least one of the set of faults, received from the fault detector.
  14. 14 . The rail wheel evaluation system of claim 13 , further comprising a wheel sensor configured to acquire data regarding a speed of a passing rail vehicle, wherein the wheel sensor is configured to provide data regarding the speed for processing by at least one of: the fault detector or the remote processing system.
  15. 15 . The rail wheel evaluation system of claim 14 , wherein the wheel sensor, the fault detector, and the remote processing system use a shared communications connection.
  16. 16 . The rail wheel evaluation system of claim 13 , wherein the set of sensors includes: at least one strain gauge affixed to the object, wherein the impact data includes strain data corresponding to a strain experienced by the object; and at least one accelerometer affixed to the object, wherein the impact data includes acceleration data corresponding to an acceleration experienced by the object.
  17. 17 . A method of evaluating a force affecting a structure, the method comprising: affixing an enclosure including an object to the structure, wherein the structure is a single beam, wherein opposing ends of the object are affixed in the enclosure and the object is otherwise unrestrained and a long axis of the object is configured to be spaced from the enclosure and the structure and in parallel with a long axis of the structure; acquiring, using a set of sensors associated with the object, impact data corresponding to an effect the force affecting the structure has on the object; and processing, by a data processor, the impact data to evaluate for a presence of a set of faults.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the acquiring includes: acquiring strain data corresponding to a strain experienced by the object from at least one strain gauge affixed to the object; and acquiring acceleration data corresponding to an acceleration experienced by the object from at least one accelerometer affixed to the object.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the structure is a single rail of a railroad track, and wherein the set of faults includes a rail wheel flat spot.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the beam is a rail of a railroad track or a support member of a bridge, and further comprising the data processor receiving at least one of: temperature data or wheel speed data, wherein the processing further includes the data processor processing the at least one of: temperature data or wheel speed data, to evaluate for the presence of the set of faults.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The current application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional App. Ser. No. 63/127,606, which was filed on 18 Dec. 2020, and which is hereby incorporated by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to evaluation of impacts, and more particularly, to impact load detection and evaluation in transportation-related applications. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Railroad wheels in good operating condition will travel easily down a rail, evenly imparting the pressure of their load along the rail and doing so with minimal impact and vibration. However, it is common for braking to cause the development of “slid flats” or flat spots on the running surface or tread of the wheel. Such flat spots, when rotating with the wheel, can repeatedly deliver blows to the rail, which cause undue stress to the rail and, equally, to the wheel and other associated components of the rail vehicle. These stresses increase, naturally, depending on the extent and depth of the flat spot. Those flat spots above a certain size can cause significant wear and tear on the rail and the wheel and may lead to dangerous failures. Early detection of these faults is vital to minimize the damage. However, inspection of each wheel is a painstaking and slow process. As a result, the rail industry developed a wheel impact load detection (WILD) system. In the North American market, the first WILD system was introduced in the late 1980s. The system consists of a set of strain gauges that are welded to the track. Multiple cribs (up to 8) are instrumented with strain gauges welded to both sides of the railway track. Welding is time-consuming, and typically takes two days or more, as each location on the track to be instrumented must be ground clean and smoothed for good weld adhesion. Once in place, strain gauges can break off of the track due to track bending in service. The only way such a system can be repaired is to repeat the cleaning and welding process. The inventor recognizes several major issues faced by the current approaches to deploying WILD systems. For example, each WILD system has a long installation time which includes welding strain gauges to the track. Similarly, repair work at an installation, such as repairing a failed strain gauge, also requires temporary closure of the track for a significant period. As a result, both installation and repairs require a long train traffic disruption (downtime) which is not always practical in active traffic locations. Furthermore, in both cases, a certified, trained strain-gauge welder is needed, and may have to be brought to the area, incurring additional delay and expense. Still further, current WILD system implementations lack redundancy. As a result, when one or more strain gauges fail, the WILD system has to ignore valuable data or be taken offline. Lack of redundancy in the current WILD design and implementation negates present day market need for high availability WILD systems and increases the likelihood of track closures due to repair work. Additionally, track work at a location of a WILD system installation nearly always results in a complete removal of the system, necessitating another installation. Similarly, repositioning a WILD system can only be accomplished by physical removal of the strain gauges from one set of rails and installation of the strain gauges—in the same time-consuming manner—in the new location. In effect, it is not practical to actually move a system. Rather, the only practical option is to install a new system at the new location. Present day WILD systems also require extensive wayside electronics which must be wired to the track mounted strain gauges. Due to limitations in low level strain gauge signals, the wayside equipment cannot be located more than a few tens of feet away. These wayside electronics encroach on the track clearance and require a large amount of installation space. Additionally, current WILD systems only measure the vertical impact forces imparted on the rail by defective wheels, ignoring other forces, such as abnormal accelerations, which can be imparted by defective wheels. Therefore, a number of defective wheels go undetected. These abnormal accelerations imparted by defective wheels are commonly observed in transit operations, mixed freight-transit operations, etc. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, the inventor proposes an impact load detection system that can address one or more of the limitations described herein. Embodiments of the system can improve the ease and speed of installation, e.g., by incorporating a strain gauge into a component that can be reversibly affixed to a monitored structure, such as a railroad track or a bridge support. Embodiments also can improve the ease and speed of repair and upgrading systems by using a modular design. Embodiments can reduce the need for repairs and amount of down time by including redundancy in the design to permit continued operation eve