Digital twin–based autonomous non-contact rail wear measurement system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a non-contact rail wear measurement system and, more specifically, to a digital twin-based autonomous non-contact rail wear measurement system, which is configured such that a rail-moving apparatus moves autonomously along a rail and is fixed at a specific location for measurement, rather than being manually moved by an operator. By integrating digital twin and autonomous driving technologies, the system allows for real-time monitoring and control of the operation of the rail-moving apparatus from a control room. Moreover, by reducing the weight and size of a configuration that rotates along a rail head for wear measurement, the system improves measurement accuracy and speed. For the simultaneous measurement of a pair of railway rails, one of a pair of measurement units is designed to include only a moving support unit, a rail fixing unit, and a sensing device of the rail moving apparatus, thereby reducing the overall weight and size of the pair of measurement units. Furthermore, the system enables regions expected to experience rail wear to be selected and wear measurement to be performed on the corresponding regions. In addition, the system analyzes environmental factors that may cause errors during the measurement process and pre-processes measurement data expected to have caused errors as noise, thereby enabling more precise measurement of a wear state of the rail head.

Description

Digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-contact rail wear measurement system, and more specifically, to a digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system in which a rail moving device that moves along the rail moves autonomously and is fixed at a specific position to perform measurement, rather than being moved manually by an operator; the system incorporates autonomous driving and digital twin technologies that allow for real-time verification and control from a control room by integrating digital twin technology; the accuracy and speed of measurement can be improved by lightweighting and minimizing the configuration that rotates along the rail head for wear measurement; in the application of a structure capable of simultaneously measuring a pair of railway rails, the pair of measuring units can be lightweighted and miniaturized by including only the moving support part of the rail moving device, the rail fixing part, and the sensing device in one measuring unit; in particular, it is possible to select an area expected to experience rail wear and perform wear measurement on that area; and furthermore, by analyzing the environment in which errors may occur during the measurement process and processing measurement data expected to have errors as noise in advance, more accurate measurement of the wear state of the rail head can be achieved. It is.

[0002] Friction occurs on the rails through contact with the wheels, and wear occurs on the railheads due to continuous operation.

[0003] Rail wear is proportional to railway traffic volume, and active research is being conducted on the safety and environmental factors of train operations by measuring the wear of rails on operating tracks, in accordance with track maintenance guidelines.

[0004] Conventionally, the amount of rail wear was measured manually using a digital gauge, but in this case, the measurement time was too long, making it difficult to measure and manage the wear of the countless installed rails. Therefore, as described in the patent documents below, technologies were developed to measure by moving with a rail inspection vehicle or devices that a worker places on the rail and moves manually to measure, but there were various problems regarding accuracy and speed.

[0005] <Patent Literature>

[0006] Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1583274 (Registered Dec. 31, 2015) "Device for measuring wear of railway rails using interference patterns"

[0007] Therefore, regarding devices (systems) for measuring railhead wear, there is an increasing need for structures that enable lightweight and compact design while minimizing operator intervention, as well as technologies that enhance the speed and accuracy of measurement.

[0008] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems,

[0009] The objective of the present invention is to provide a digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system that enables a rail moving device moving along the rail to move autonomously and be fixed at a specific position for measurement, rather than being manually moved by an operator, in a laser-based non-contact system for measuring the wear condition of a rail head, and allows this to be verified and controlled in real-time from a control room by incorporating digital twin technology.

[0010] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system that can improve the accuracy and speed of measurement by applying a structure in which a rail moving device moving along a rail can move and be fixed while stably supported on the rail, and a stepper motor providing rotational driving force for the sensor unit is separated from the rotating sensor unit and fixed on the rail moving device, thereby lightweighting and miniaturizing the configuration that rotates along a ring guide.

[0011] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a digital twin-based autonomous driving type non-contact rail wear measurement system capable of simultaneously measuring rail wear on a pair of railway rails by applying a structure in which a first measuring unit moving on one rail and a second measuring unit moving on the other rail are connected to each other via a connecting means and move as a single unit, and in particular, the measuring unit on one side includes only a moving support part of a rail moving device, a rail fixing part, and a sensing device, thereby enabling the lightweighting and miniaturization of a pair of measuring units for simultaneously measuring rail wear on a pair of railway rails.

[0012] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system that selects a part on the rail where wear may occur (or is expected to have occurred) during the movement of the rail moving device, provides the relevant information to enable wear measurement of that part, and thereby enables more accurate measurement of the wear state of the rail head.

[0013] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system that enables more accurate measurement of the wear state by analyzing the environment in which errors may occur during the measurement process of the rail head, that is, the measurement process through rotational movement according to the ring guide of the sensor unit, and preprocessing measurement data in which errors are expected to occur by treating it as noise so that such information is not used for analysis.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a non-contact rail wear measurement system based on a digital twin autonomous driving method according to the present invention comprises: a rail moving device that is supported on a rail and moves along the rail and can be fixed on the rail at a specific location; a sensing device that is fixed to the rail moving device and moves together with it, and measures the rail head while rotating along the circumference of the rail head while the rail moving device is fixed at a specific location; a wear detection means that detects wear of the rail head according to distance information measured by the sensing device; an autonomous driving means that controls independent movement and fixation on the rail for the rail moving device; and a digital twin control unit that applies digital twin technology to enable real-time verification, analysis, and control of the current location and measurement location of the rail moving device, and measurement and detection information through the sensing device and the wear detection means, in a control room.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the rail moving device comprises a driving unit for moving the rail moving device, a moving support unit that moves along the rail and is supported on the rail when the rail moving device moves, and a rail fixing unit that fixes the rail moving device to the rail at a specific position; the sensing device comprises a ring guide formed in a semicircular shape that surrounds the rail at a certain distance from the rail, a sensor unit that measures the distance to the rail head by irradiating light toward the rail head while rotating along the ring guide, and a sensor moving unit that provides driving force to cause the sensor unit to rotate along the ring guide; and the stepper motor providing driving force in the sensor moving unit is separated from the rotating sensor unit and fixed on the rail moving device, thereby making the configuration rotating along the ring guide lighter and smaller, and improving the accuracy and speed of measurement.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the rail wear measuring system according to the present invention is formed such that a first measuring unit moving on one rail and a second measuring unit moving on the other rail are connected to each other through a connecting means and move as a single unit, so as to be able to simultaneously measure rail wear on one rail and the other rail of a pair of railway rails; the first measuring unit includes the rail moving device, the sensing device, the wear detection means, and the autonomous driving means, and the second measuring unit includes only the moving support part of the rail moving device, the rail fixing part, and the sensing device, thereby enabling the pair of measuring units to simultaneously measure the wear of a pair of railway rails to be made lighter and smaller.

[0017] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the autonomous driving means of the present invention comprises: a driving control module that controls movement and fixation on the rail through control of the driving unit and the rail fixing unit of the rail moving device; a measurement position selection module that selects a part on the rail where wear is expected to occur during the movement of the rail moving device and provides the relevant information to fix at that part and measure the wear of the rail head; and an error environment preprocessing module that analyzes an environment in which an error may occur during the measurement process through rotational movement according to the ring guide of the sensor unit and processes the noise information so that it is not used in the analysis.

[0018] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the measurement position selection module of the present invention comprises: a first position selection module that selects a part where vibration exceeding a certain standard occurs during the movement process on the rail based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device and performs measurement; a second position selection module that selects a part where the horizontal of the rail moving device deviates above a certain standard during the movement process on the rail based on horizontal sensor information included in the rail moving device and performs measurement; a third position selection module that selects a part where the rail turns in a curve or the inclination of the rail changes upward or downward during the movement process on the rail based on orientation sensor or tilt sensor information included in the rail moving device and performs measurement; and a fourth position selection module that selects a part where the level difference between a pair of first measurement units and second measurement units exceeds a certain standard based on level sensor information included in the rail moving device and performs measurement.

[0019] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the error environment preprocessing module of the present invention comprises: a first preprocessing module that processes measurement data as noise when vibration occurs on the rail based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device during the measurement process of the sensor unit; a second preprocessing module that processes measurement data as noise when movement of the rail moving device occurs based on horizontal sensor or tilt sensor information included in the rail moving device during the measurement process of the sensor unit; a third preprocessing module that processes measurement data as noise when the operation of the stepper motor is not maintained consistently during the measurement process of the sensor unit; and a fourth preprocessing module that processes measurement data as noise when measurement is not performed at both sensor units respectively placed in a pair of first measurement units and second measurement units at the measurement point.

[0020] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the wear detection means of the present invention comprises: a sensing value receiving module that receives distance information from a rail head measured at regular time intervals while the sensor unit rotates around the rail head; a coordinate value calculation module that calculates coordinate values ​​of each point of the rail head using the distance information received by the sensing value receiving module; a linear interpolation module that derives rail head coordinate values ​​between each point by linearly interpolating the coordinate values ​​at each point; a cross-section visualization module that extracts a cross-section of the rail head using the coordinate values ​​derived by the coordinate value calculation module and the linear interpolation module and displays it on a screen; a cross-section comparison module that compares the cross-section of the rail head displayed by the cross-section visualization module with the cross-section of the rail head in a normal state; and a wear judgment module that determines the wear of the rail head according to the comparison result by the cross-section comparison module, wherein the coordinate value calculation module calculates the coordinates of each point of the rail head according to the following mathematical formula.

[0021] [Mathematical Formula]

[0022] X = cos(θ) × l, Y = sin(θ) × l

[0023] (Here, X (mm) represents the horizontal distance from the center of the rail head, Y (mm) represents the vertical height, θ (deg) represents the measurement angle of the sensor unit, and l (mm) represents the distance from the rail head measured by the sensor unit.)

[0024] The present invention can achieve the following effects through the combination and usage relationship of the embodiments described above and the configuration described below.

[0025] The present invention enables a rail moving device that moves along the rail to move autonomously and be fixed at a specific position for measurement, rather than being moved manually by an operator, in a laser-based non-contact system for measuring the wear condition of a rail head. Furthermore, by incorporating digital twin technology, this system has the effect of allowing real-time verification and control from a control room.

[0026] The present invention has the effect of improving the accuracy and speed of measurement by making the configuration that rotates along a ring guide lighter and smaller, through the application of a structure in which a rail moving device moving along a rail can move and be fixed while stably supported on the rail, and a stepper motor providing rotational driving force for the sensor unit is separated from the rotating sensor unit and fixed on the rail moving device.

[0027] The present invention applies a structure in which a first measuring unit moving on one rail and a second measuring unit moving on the other rail are connected to each other via a connecting means and move as a single unit so as to simultaneously measure rail wear on one rail and the other rail of a pair of railway rails, and in particular, the measuring unit on one side includes only a moving support part of a rail moving device, a rail fixing part, and a sensing device, thereby having the effect of making the pair of measuring units capable of simultaneously measuring the wear of a pair of railway rails lighter and smaller.

[0028] The present invention has the effect of enabling more accurate measurement of the wear state of the rail head by selecting a part on the rail where wear may occur (or is expected to have occurred) during the movement process of the rail moving device and providing the relevant information so that wear measurement of the relevant part can be performed.

[0029] The present invention has the effect of enabling more accurate measurement of the wear state by analyzing the environment in which errors may occur during the measurement process of a rail head, that is, the measurement process through rotational movement according to the ring guide of the sensor unit, and by preprocessing measurement data in which errors are expected to occur as noise so that such information is not utilized in the analysis.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a rail wear measuring system according to the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a side view of a measurement system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 3 is another side view of a measurement system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a reference drawing illustrating one embodiment of a rail fixing part.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a reference drawing illustrating one embodiment of a movable support member.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a wear detection means.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a screen showing a distance value (a) measured by a sensor unit and a rail cross-section (b) output by a cross-section visualization module.

[0037] Figure 8 is a screen showing a comparison example by the cross-sectional comparison module.

[0038] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an autonomous driving means.

[0039] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a pair of measuring units.

[0040] Preferred embodiments of a digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that identical components in the drawings are represented by the same reference numerals wherever possible. Unless otherwise specifically defined, all terms in this specification have the same general meaning as understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and in the event of a conflict with the meaning of a term used in this specification, the definition used in this specification shall prevail. Throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, terms such as "...part," "...module," etc., described in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and this may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0041]

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1 and the like, a non-contact rail wear measurement system based on a digital twin autonomous driving method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a rail moving device (1) that is supported on a rail (100) and moves along the rail and can be fixed on the rail at a specific location; a sensing device (3) that is fixed to the rail moving device (1) and moves together with it, and measures the rail head while rotating along the circumference of the rail head (101) while the rail moving device (1) is fixed at a specific location; a wear detection means (5) that detects wear of the rail head (101) according to distance information measured by the sensing device (3); an autonomous driving means (7) that controls independent movement and fixation on the rail for the rail moving device (1); and a digital twin control unit (9) that applies digital twin technology to enable real-time verification, analysis, and control of the current location and measurement location of the rail moving device (1), and measurement and detection information through the sensing device (3) and the wear detection means (5) in a control room. As previously explained, existing equipment for measuring the wear condition of a rail head (101) along a rail (100) has been developed using a rail inspection vehicle for measurement or a device that is placed on the rail by an operator and moved manually for measurement. However, there have been various problems regarding efficiency, accuracy, and speed. Therefore, the present invention provides a rail moving device (1) that moves along the rail (100) using an autonomous driving method that allows the device to move on its own and be fixed at a specific location for measurement, rather than being moved manually by an operator. Additionally, by incorporating digital twin technology, it provides a digital twin-based non-contact rail wear measurement system that can be verified and controlled in real-time from a control room. Furthermore, the main features (functions) include the ability to lighten and miniaturize the measurement system configuration (structure) and improve the accuracy and speed of measurement. The functions and structural features will be described in detail below.

[0043] The above rail moving device (1) is configured to be supported on the rail (100) and move along the rail, and to be fixed on the rail at a specific location, that is, the rail wear measuring system according to the present invention is configured to move along the rail (100) and be fixed on the rail (100) at the measurement location so that a measurement of the rail head (101) can be performed. To this end, the rail moving device (1) may more specifically include a driving unit (15) that moves the rail moving device (1), a moving support unit (13) that moves along the rail (100) and is supported on the rail (100) when the rail moving device (1) moves, and a rail fixing unit (11) that fixes the rail moving device (1) to the rail (100) at a specific location.

[0044] The above driving unit (15) is configured to move the rail moving device (1). To this end, the driving unit (15) is more specifically supported and installed on the rail moving device (1) as shown in FIG. 3, and may include a driving bar (151), a driving motor (153), and a connecting pulley (155).

[0045] The above drive bar (151) is configured to rotate while being supported on the upper part of the rail head (101) in the forward and backward directions of the rail moving device (1), thereby enabling movement of the rail moving device (1) according to the rotational drive and rotating by the operation of the above drive motor (153). The above drive bar (151) may be formed in the shape of a circular bar and may be formed to have a circumferential surface corresponding to the upper surface of the rail head (101) so that smooth movement can be achieved while in close contact with the upper part of the rail head (101). By making the above drive bar move while in close contact with the upper shape of the rail head (101) in this manner, it is possible to detect to some extent in advance any abnormal condition that may occur on the upper part of the rail head, such as vibration or tilting of the above drive bar.

[0046] The above-mentioned drive motor (153) is configured to provide power for the rotation of the drive bar (151), and can rotate the connecting pulley (155) while supported by the rail moving device (1), and the drive bar (151) rotates according to the rotation of the connecting pulley (155).

[0047] The above connecting pulley (155) is configured to transmit the driving force of the driving motor (153) to the driving bar (151), and is formed on each of the driving motor (153) and the driving bar (151) to interlock with each other. Accordingly, the driving bar (151) can be rotated by the connecting pulley (155) which rotates according to the operation of the driving motor (153).

[0048] The above-mentioned moving support member (13) is configured to be supported on the rail (100) while moving along the rail (100) during the movement of the rail moving device (1). That is, in order to ensure stable movement of the rail moving device (1) while moving along the rail (100), the above-mentioned moving support member (13) performs the function of supporting the rail moving device (1) so that it does not deviate from the rail (100) by moving in contact with the rail (100), particularly along the side of the rail (100), so that the rail moving device (1) does not deviate to the left or right side of the rail (100). To this end, the above-mentioned moving support member (13) can be formed to be supported on both sides of the rail (100) more specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, and may include a support wheel (131) that rotates while supported on the rail (100), and a support actuator (133) that moves the support wheel (131) in the left and right directions.

[0049] The above support wheel (131) is configured to rotate while supported on the rail (100), and is supported on both sides of the rail (100) when the rail moving device (1) moves along the rail, thereby preventing the rail moving device (1) from deviating from the rail (100) and enabling stable movement.

[0050] The above support actuator (133) is configured to move the support wheel (131) to both the left and right sides. When the rail moving device (1) moves, the support wheel (131) is supported by contacting the side of the rail (100). When the rail moving device (1) is fixed to the rail (100) at a specific position to measure the wear of the rail head (101), the support wheel (131) may be moved away from the rail (100) as needed. The above support actuator (133) allows the support shaft (133a) formed in the left and right directions to be inserted and removed. A support wheel (131) is formed inside the support shaft (133a) so that the support wheel (131) moves in the left and right directions along with the insertion and removal of the support shaft (133a).

[0051] The rail fixing part (11) is configured to fix the rail moving device (1) to the rail (100) at a specific location. When the rail moving device (1) moves along the rail (100) and reaches a measurement location where the wear condition is to be measured, the rail fixing part (11) performs the function of fixing the rail moving device (1) to the rail (100) so that the rail moving device (1) does not shake or move out of position during the measurement process at that location. To this end, the rail fixing part (11) may include, more specifically as shown in FIG. 4, a fixing member (111) that is fixed in close contact with the rail (100) and a fixing actuator (113) that moves the fixing member (111) to both the left and right sides.

[0052] The above-mentioned fixed member (111) is configured to be fixed in close contact with the rail (100), and moves in the left and right directions by the above-mentioned fixed actuator (113). When the sensing device (3) rotates along the circumference of the rail head (101) and measures the distance to the rail head (101), the fixed member (111) is in close contact with the rail (100), thereby allowing the rail moving device (1) to maintain a stable fixed state. As shown in FIG. 4, the above-mentioned fixed member (111) may be formed to be in close contact with the lower side of the rail head (101), and in particular, the part in close contact with the rail head (101) may include a compression surface (111a) formed in a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the rail head (101), so that the compression surface (111a) can maintain a stable fixed state in close contact with the lower side of the rail head (101).

[0053] The above fixed actuator (113) is configured to move the fixed member (111) in the left and right directions, and to move the fixed shaft (113a) formed in the left and right directions in and out. The fixed member (111) is formed inside the fixed shaft (113a) so that the fixed member (111) moves in the left and right directions together with the moving of the fixed shaft (113a). The above fixed actuator (113) causes the fixed member (111) to move away from the rail (100) when the rail moving device (1) moves along the longitudinal direction of the rail (100), and pushes the fixed member (111) to make it adhere to the rail (100) when the rail moving device (1) is fixed to the rail (100) and the wear of the rail head (101) is measured by the sensing device (3).

[0054] The sensing device (3) is fixed to the rail moving device (1) and moves together with it, and is configured to measure the rail head while rotating along the circumference of the rail head (101) while the rail moving device (1) is fixed at a specific position. To this end, the sensing device (3) may more specifically include a ring guide (31) formed in a semicircular shape surrounding the rail (100) at a certain distance from the rail (100), a sensor unit (33) that measures the distance to the rail head (101) by irradiating light toward the rail head (101) while rotating along the ring guide (31), and a sensor moving unit (35) that provides driving force to cause the sensor unit (33) to rotate along the ring guide (31). In particular, as previously described, the present invention is characterized by applying a structure in which a step motor (not shown) providing rotational movement driving force for the sensor unit (33) in the sensing device (3) is separated from the rotating sensor unit (33) and fixed on the rail moving device (1), thereby making the configuration that rotates along the ring guide (31) lighter and smaller, which improves the accuracy and speed of measurement. That is, if a stepper motor is included in the configuration that rotates along the ring guide (31), problems may arise such as vibration being applied to the sensor part (33) due to excessive load during the measurement process while rotating along the ring guide (31) (i.e., the sensor part (33) shaking) or difficulty in rotating the sensor part (33) at a constant speed (i.e., the sensor part (33) cannot rotate at a constant speed and a difference in speed may occur). In order to solve these problems, the present invention applies a structure (form) in which only the sensor part (33) rotates along the ring guide (31) and heavy stepper motors are fixed to the rail moving device (1).

[0055] The above ring guide (31) is formed in a semicircular shape that surrounds the rail (100) at a certain distance from the rail (100), and is configured to guide the rotational movement path of the sensor unit (33) so that the sensor unit (33), to be described later, can rotate along the ring guide (31) and precisely measure the condition of the left and right sides and the top surface of the rail head (101). The above ring guide (31) is fixed on the rail moving device (1) and moves together with the rail moving device (1), and the sensor unit (33), to be described later, is connected to the ring guide (31) and rotates along the ring guide (31), and the sensor moving unit (35), to be described later, is located on one side of the ring guide (31) to provide the driving force to the sensor unit (33) for the sensor unit (33) to rotate. It is preferable that the above ring guide (31) be formed to surround the rail (100) at an angle of at least 180 degrees so that the sensor part (33), which will be described later, can measure the circumference of the rail head (101).

[0056] The sensor unit (33) is configured to measure the distance to the rail head (101) by irradiating light toward the rail head (101) while rotating along the ring guide (31). The distance to the rail head (101) can be measured by irradiating light and measuring the reflected light, and in particular, a laser sensor can be utilized in the present invention. The sensor unit (33) can measure the distance to the rail head (101) while rotating along the ring guide (31) formed along the left and right circumference of the rail head (101). Generally, the sensor unit (33) can measure the distance to the rail head (101) at a constant interval of 100ms, and can extract the coordinates of each point using the distance measured at each point, thereby visualizing the cross-section of the rail head (101) to detect wear. In particular, as will be described later, the present invention is characterized by the ability to additionally detect (select) a part on the rail head (101) where an abnormality is predicted, in addition to measurements at a constant interval or at a constant time, and to perform measurements on that part.

[0057] The sensor moving part (35) is configured to provide driving force so that the sensor part (33) rotates along the ring guide (31). To this end, the sensor moving part (35) may include various detailed configurations including a stepper motor (not shown). That is, the sensor moving part (35) may include a stepper motor that provides direct driving force to rotate the sensor part (33) along the ring guide (31), a driving roller (not shown, configured to transmit the driving force of the stepper motor to rotate the sensor part (33)) so that the sensor part (33) can rotate along the ring guide (31), a driving belt (not shown, configured to be connected to the driving roller to rotate the sensor part (33), a sensor fixing member (not shown, configured to be firmly fixed while always facing the rail head (101) during the process of rotational movement of the sensor part (33)), etc.

[0058] The above wear detection means (5) is configured to detect wear of the rail head (101) according to distance information measured by the sensing device (3). That is, it performs the function of detecting the degree of wear of the rail head (101) and providing information by calculating and analyzing the relevant information based on the distance information measured and provided by the sensing device (3). The above wear detection means (5) may be formed in a separate server, terminal, etc. and connected to the sensing device (3) via wireless communication, and may detect wear by receiving distance information measured by the sensor unit (33). Of course, the above wear detection means (5) may be formed integrally within the sensing device (3) to detect wear and transmit the detected wear information to a separate server, terminal, etc. The above wear detection means (5) receives distance information measured by the sensor unit (33) rotating around the rail head (101), calculates the coordinates of each point on the rail head (101) where the distance is measured, outputs a cross-section of the rail head (101) using the calculated coordinates, and detects wear by comparing the output cross-section with a stored existing cross-section of the rail head (101). Additionally, the coordinate values ​​between points where the distance is measured by the sensor unit (33) are obtained through linear interpolation of surrounding coordinate values. To this end, the above wear detection means (5) may include a sensing value receiving module (51), a coordinate value calculation module (52), a linear interpolation module (53), a cross-section visualization module (54), a cross-section comparison module (55), and a wear judgment module (56).

[0059] The above-mentioned sensing value receiving module (51) is configured to receive distance information from the rail head (101) measured by the sensor unit (33), and the sensor unit (33) receives distance information measured at regular intervals while moving along the ring guide (33), and for example, the measured distance information can be displayed as shown in FIG. 7(a).

[0060] The above coordinate value calculation module (52) is configured to calculate the coordinate values ​​of each point of the rail head (101) using distance information measured by the sensor unit (33), and can calculate X and Y coordinate values ​​of the distance X (mm) from the center of the rail head (101) and the vertical height Y (mm) from a specific reference point. At this time, the above coordinate value calculation module (52) can calculate the X and Y coordinate values ​​using the measurement angle of the sensor unit (33) along with the distance value between the sensor unit (33) and the rail head (101), and can be expressed as Equation 1 below.

[0061] [Mathematical Formula 1]

[0062] X = cos(θ) × l, Y = sin(θ) × l

[0063] (Here, X (mm) represents the horizontal distance from the center of the rail head, Y (mm) represents the vertical height, θ (deg) represents the measurement angle of the displacement sensor, and l (mm) represents the distance from the rail head measured by the displacement sensor.)

[0064] The above linear interpolation module (53) is configured to derive the coordinate values ​​of the rail head (101) between points where the distance is measured by the sensor unit (33), and derives the coordinate values ​​by one-dimensional linear interpolation as shown in Equation 2 below using the angle of the point to be obtained.

[0065] [Mathematical Formula 2]

[0066]

[0067] The cross-section visualization module (54) is configured to display the cross-section of the rail head (101) on a screen, and uses the coordinate values ​​of the rail head (101) calculated by the coordinate value calculation module (52) and the linear interpolation module (53) to display the cross-section as shown in FIG. 7(b). The cross-section visualization module (54) is connected to a server where the wear detection means (5) is formed, and can display the cross-section of the rail head (101) on the screen of the terminal itself where the wear detection means (5) is formed, and can detect wear by comparing the displayed cross-section with a previously stored existing cross-section of the rail head (101).

[0068] The cross-section comparison module (55) is configured to display the cross-section of the existing rail head (101) on the screen along with the cross-section of the rail head (101) displayed by the cross-section visualization module (54) as shown in FIG. 8, so that a comparison can be made, and the degree of wear can be detected by recognizing the difference in coordinates for each position (angle) of the rail head (101).

[0069] The above wear judgment module (56) is configured to detect wear of the rail head (101) based on the cross-sectional comparison result by the cross-sectional comparison module (55), and can determine that wear has occurred when the difference in coordinate values ​​exceeds a certain amount, and can determine and output the degree and location of the wear.

[0070] The above-mentioned autonomous driving means (7) is configured to control independent movement and fixation on the rail for the above-mentioned rail moving device (1). As previously explained, one of the main features of the present invention is to improve the problems of equipment that previously measured rail wear by moving along the rail (100) manually through the intervention of an operator, so that the rail wear measurement system can measure rail wear by moving on the rail (100) itself through autonomous driving. In particular, it is characterized by being able to select a part on the rail (100) where wear is expected to occur (or has occurred) during the movement process of the rail moving device (1) and measure the wear of that part, and also to analyze the environment in which an error may occur during the measurement process through rotational movement according to the ring guide (31) of the sensor unit (33), and to process measurement data in advance in which an error is expected to occur as noise so that a more accurate measurement of the wear state of the rail head (101) can be achieved. To this end, the above-mentioned autonomous driving means (7) more specifically, of the rail moving device (1). It may include a driving control module (71) that controls movement and fixation on the rail (100) through control of the driving unit (15) and the rail fixing unit (11), a measurement position selection module (73) that selects a part on the rail (100) where wear is expected to occur during the movement of the rail moving device (1) and provides the information to fix at that part and measure the wear of the rail head (101), and an error environment preprocessing module (75) that analyzes an environment in which an error may occur during the measurement process through rotational movement according to the ring guide (31) of the sensor unit (33) and processes the noise information so that it is not used in the analysis.

[0071] The above driving control module (71) is configured to control movement and fixation on the rail (100) through control of the driving unit (15) and the rail fixing unit (11) of the rail moving device (1). As previously explained, the feature of the rail wear measurement system of the present invention is that, unlike the previous system where movement of the rail moving device (1) was achieved through manual operation by an operator, the rail moving device (1) moves autonomously on its own, that is, through autonomous driving, thereby enabling movement and fixation on the rail (100). The driving control module (71) is the primary component that performs this function. In the above driving control module (71), control of the driving unit (15) and the rail fixing unit (11) of the rail moving device (1) can be performed through a separate driving algorithm (program). Typically, the rail moving device (1) can be moved at regular intervals of time or distance, and then firmly fixed on the rail (100) at a stopped position to allow measurement to be performed. If necessary, as described below, a part on the rail (100) that is expected to be worn (or has been worn) during the movement process can be selected and wear measurement of that part can be performed.

[0072] The above measurement location selection module (73) is configured to select a part on the rail (100) where wear is expected to occur during the movement process of the rail moving device (1), provide the relevant information, and fix it at that part to measure the wear of the rail head (101). As previously explained, the main feature of the present invention is that, in addition to the state measurement of the rail head (101) on the rail (100) which has always been manually performed at regular time intervals or regular distance intervals, the autonomous driving means (7) of the rail moving device (1) can additionally select a part on the rail (100) where wear is expected to occur (or has occurred) during the movement process and measure the wear of that part. The measurement location selection module (73) is the one that performs this core function. To this end, the measurement location selection module (73) more specifically selects a part where vibration exceeding a certain standard occurs during the movement process on the rail (100) based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device (1). The apparatus comprises: a first position selection module (731) that selects a measurement location to allow measurement to be performed; a second position selection module (732) that selects a measurement location to allow measurement to be performed at a part where the horizontal of the rail moving device (1) deviates by more than a certain standard during the movement process on the rail (100) based on horizontal sensor information included in the rail moving device (1); a third position selection module (733) that selects a measurement location to allow measurement to be performed at a part where the rail (100) turns in a curve or the slope of the rail (100) changes upward or downward during the movement process on the rail moving device (1) based on orientation sensor or tilt sensor information included in the rail moving device (1); and a fourth position selection module (734) that selects a measurement location to allow measurement to be performed at a part where the level difference between a pair of first measurement units (A) and second measurement units (B) occurs by more than a certain standard based on level sensor information included in the rail moving device (1). It is possible.

[0073] The first position selection module (731) is configured to select a measurement location where vibration exceeding a certain standard occurs during movement on the rail (100) based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device (1), and to perform measurement thereon. As previously explained, in the rail moving device (1) of the present invention, the driving bar (151), which moves in close contact with the upper surface of the rail head (101), is formed in a shape corresponding to the upper surface of the rail head (101) and moves in close contact with the rail head (101). Therefore, if any scratch, damage, or uneven wear occurs on a certain part of the upper surface of the rail head (101), vibration exceeding a certain standard will inevitably occur when the rail moving device (1) moving on the rail (100) passes over that part. Accordingly, the first position selection module (731) selects a location where vibration exceeding a certain standard occurs during movement on the rail (100) based on information provided from the vibration sensor included in the rail moving device (1). Select a specific area as the measurement location to enable measurement of that area.

[0074] The above second position selection module (732) is configured to select a measurement location where the horizontal of the rail moving device (1) deviates by more than a certain standard during the movement process on the rail (100) based on horizontal sensor information included in the rail moving device (1), and to perform measurement thereon. Since the rail moving device (1) moves over a part where uneven wear or similar conditions occur on the upper surface of the rail head (101), a change in the horizontal state of the rail moving device (1) during operation will inevitably be detected by the driving bar (151) which moves in close contact with the upper surface of the rail head (101), the above second position selection module (732) can select a part where the horizontal of the rail moving device (1) deviates by more than a certain standard during the movement process on the rail (100) based on information provided from the horizontal sensor included in the rail moving device (1) and to perform measurement thereon.

[0075] The above third position selection module (733) is configured to select a measurement location based on information from an orientation sensor or a tilt sensor included in the rail moving device (1) so that measurement is performed at a location where the rail (100) curves or where the slope of the rail (100) changes upward or downward during the movement process on the rail (100). Generally, compared to the case where the rail (100) is formed at a uniform level without a difference in elevation in a straight line, there is a high possibility that damage or wear will occur on the rail head (101) in a section where the rail (100) curves, a section where it goes up at an angle, or a section where it goes down at an angle. Therefore, the above third position selection module (733) selects a location where the rail (100) curves or where the slope of the rail (100) changes upward or downward during the movement process on the rail (100) based on information provided from an orientation sensor or a tilt sensor included in the rail moving device (1) as a measurement location when such a location is identified. Select and enable measurement of the corresponding area.

[0076] The above-mentioned fourth position selection module (734) is configured to select a measurement location where the level difference between a pair of first measurement units (A) and second measurement units (B), based on level sensor information included in the rail moving device (1), exceeds a certain standard, and to perform measurement therefrom. Since a train traveling on a pair of rails (100) has a large weight, the pair of rails (100) are installed to form the same level at the same point so that the train can always maintain a horizontal state while traveling. However, if a deviation in level occurs between the left and right rails in such a pair of rails (100), the large-weight train traveling on them will be slightly biased to one side, and this ultimately increases the likelihood of damage or wear occurring on the rail head (101) of one or both rails (100) due to the train wheels. Therefore, the above-mentioned fourth position selection module (734) and the pair of first measurement units (A) based on level sensor information included in the rail moving device (1) and When a part where the level difference between a pair of rails (100) exceeds a certain standard is identified by the analysis of level information sent from each rail moving device (1) of the second measuring unit (B), that part is selected as a measurement location so that measurement can be performed on that part.

[0077] The above error environment preprocessing module (75) is configured to analyze an environment in which an error may occur during the measurement process through rotational movement along the ring guide (31) of the sensor unit (33) and process it so that noise information is not utilized in the analysis. As previously explained, the present invention is characterized by analyzing an environment in which an error may occur during the measurement process through rotational movement along the ring guide (31) of the sensor unit (33) for the purpose of maximizing the speed and accuracy of measurement, and processing measurement data in which an error is expected to occur as noise in advance so that a more accurate measurement of the wear state of the rail head (101) can be achieved. To this end, the above error environment preprocessing module (75) more specifically comprises a first preprocessing module (751) that processes measurement data as noise when vibration occurs on the rail (100) based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device (1) during the measurement process of the sensor unit (33), and based on horizontal sensor or tilt sensor information included in the rail moving device (1) during the measurement process of the sensor unit (33). It may include a second preprocessing module (752) that processes measurement data as noise when movement of the rail moving device (1) occurs, a third preprocessing module (753) that processes measurement data as noise when the operation of the step motor is not maintained consistently during the measurement process of the sensor unit (33), and a fourth preprocessing module (754) that processes measurement data as noise when measurement is not performed at both the sensor unit (33) placed at the measurement point, respectively, of a pair of first measurement units (A) and second measurement units (B).

[0078] The first preprocessing module (751) is configured to process measurement data as noise when vibration occurs on the rail (100) based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device (1) during the measurement process of the sensor unit (33). That is, in the first preprocessing module (751), in the middle of the measurement process through rotational movement according to the ring guide (31) of the sensor unit (33) at a specific measurement location, if it is confirmed that vibration has occurred on the rail (100) or the rail moving device (1) due to external impact or sudden strong winds, etc. based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device (1), there is a very high possibility that noise has been added to the measurement data by the sensor unit (33) due to such vibration. Therefore, measurement data that is highly likely to have such noise added is processed as noise in advance so that wear analysis based on the data is not performed by the wear detection means (5), thereby increasing the reliability of the analysis.

[0079] The second preprocessing module (752) is configured to process measurement data as noise when movement of the rail moving device (1) occurs based on horizontal sensor or tilt sensor information included in the rail moving device (1) during the measurement process of the sensor unit (33). That is, in the second preprocessing module (752), in the middle of the measurement process through rotational movement according to the ring guide (31) of the sensor unit (33) at a specific measurement position, if it is confirmed that the rail moving device (1) is not perfectly fixed and even slight movement occurs based on horizontal sensor or tilt sensor information included in the rail moving device (1), there is a very high possibility that noise has been added to the measurement data by the sensor unit (33) due to such movement. Therefore, measurement data with a high possibility of having such noise added is processed as noise in advance so that wear analysis based on the data is not performed by the wear detection means (5), thereby increasing the reliability of the analysis.

[0080] The third preprocessing module (753) is configured to process measurement data as noise when the operation of the stepper motor is not maintained consistently during the measurement process of the sensor unit (33). As previously explained, the sensor unit (33) rotates along the ring guide (31) and irradiates a laser along the circumference of the rail (100), specifically the circumference of the rail head (101), to measure the degree of wear of the rail head (101) based on the data. At this time, the rotational speed of the sensor unit (33) while rotating along the ring guide (31) must be maintained consistently within a certain range to increase the accuracy of measurement and analysis. In the case where the third preprocessing module (753) detects that the operation of the stepper motor is not maintained consistently during the measurement process while the sensor unit (33) rotates along the ring guide (31), resulting in irregular operation exceeding a certain standard or stopping for a certain period of time and then operating again, the stepper motor operation exceeding a certain range Since there is a very high possibility that noise has been added to the measurement data by the sensor unit (33) due to uneven operation, the measurement data that is highly likely to have such noise added is processed as noise in advance so that wear analysis based on the data is not performed by the wear detection means (5), thereby increasing the reliability of the analysis.

[0081] The above-mentioned fourth preprocessing module (754) is configured to process measurement data as noise in cases where measurement is not performed by both sensor units (33) placed in a pair of first measurement units (A) and second measurement units (B) respectively at the measurement point. As described below, the system of the present invention is characterized by being able to simultaneously measure and analyze a pair of rails (100) in a single measurement process through simultaneous measurement of a pair of rails (100). In this system configuration of the present invention, if the sensor units (33) included in the pair of measurement units—namely the first measurement unit (A) and the second measurement unit (B)—that move, fix, and measure simultaneously, and which measure the wear condition of the rail head (101) for each of the pair of rails (100), do not measure simultaneously at the same measurement location and only one of the sensor units (33) measures, this can weaken the reliability of the system of the present invention, which measures both of the pair of rails (100) and provides analysis information. In the fourth preprocessing module (754), if a case occurs where measurement is not performed by both sensor units (33) placed in a pair of first measurement units (A) and second measurement units (B) at a specific measurement point (location), the corresponding measurement data is processed as noise in advance so that wear analysis based on the corresponding data is not performed by the wear detection means (5), thereby increasing the reliability of the analysis.

[0082] The above digital twin control unit (9) is configured to apply digital twin technology so that the current location and measurement location of the rail moving device (1), as well as measurement and detection information through the sensing device (3) and wear detection means (5), can be verified, analyzed, and controlled in real time in the control room. In the conventional rail wear measurement process for railway rails, a worker at the site manually measures the wear condition at a specific point on the rail using a measuring instrument, records or digitizes the result information, and submits it, at which point the control room analyzes the relevant information. However, in the present invention, by incorporating digital twin technology, the location where rail wear is measured and the measurement results are provided to the control room in real time through the rail moving device (1), sensing device (3), and wear detection means (5) described above. Based on this digital twin environment, the control room can transmit the analysis and control of the rail wear condition to the site in real time, thereby enabling maintenance and management. In other words, it is characterized by moving away from the existing method (structure) where measurements were taken on-site and the corresponding information was provided to the control room separately, and instead utilizing digital twin technology to enable real-time monitoring of maintenance tasks related to railway rail wear measurement.

[0083] Meanwhile, as previously explained, another major feature of the system of the present invention is that the rail wear measuring system of the present invention is capable of simultaneously measuring rail wear on one rail (100) and the other rail (100) of a pair of railway rails (100). To this end, the rail wear measuring system of the present invention may apply a structure in which a first measuring unit (A) moving on one rail (100) and a second measuring unit (B) moving on the other rail (100) are connected to each other through a connecting means (C) and move as a single unit, as shown in the example illustrated in FIG. 10. In this way, the first measuring unit (A) and the second measuring unit (B) are connected by the connecting means (C), that is, in a state where they can move as a single unit, the wear condition of the pair of rails (100) can be measured simultaneously during the movement, fixation, and measurement processes.

[0084] In particular, in order to maximize efficiency through the lightweighting and miniaturization of the overall system in a system for measuring the simultaneous rail wear condition of a pair of rails (100) by such a pair of measuring units, the present invention is characterized by including only the moving support part (13) of the rail moving device (1), the rail fixing part (11), and the sensing device (3) in the measuring unit on one side relative to the measuring unit on the other side, thereby enabling the lightweighting and miniaturization of a pair of measuring units for measuring the wear of a pair of railway rails simultaneously. That is, the first measuring unit (A) includes all of the rail moving device (1), sensing device (3), wear detection means (5), and autonomous driving means (7) described above, whereas the second measuring unit (B) includes only the moving support part (13), rail fixing part (11), and sensing device (3) of the rail moving device (1), so that the second measuring unit (B) is formed in a form having only the minimum configuration that includes only the basic configuration for moving, fixing, and measuring, thereby making the pair of measuring units that simultaneously measure the wear of a pair of railway rails lighter and smaller.

[0085]

[0086] Although the applicant has described various embodiments of the present invention above, such embodiments are merely examples of implementing the technical concept of the present invention, and any modification or alteration that implements the technical concept of the present invention should be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rail moving device that is supported on a rail, moves along the rail, and can be fixed on the rail at a specific position; A sensing device that is fixed to and moves together with the above-mentioned rail moving device, and measures the rail head while rotating along the circumference of the rail head while the rail moving device is fixed at a specific position; A wear detection means for detecting wear of a rail head according to distance information measured by the above-mentioned sensing device; Autonomous driving means for controlling independent movement and fixation on a rail for the above rail moving device; and A digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system characterized by including a digital twin control unit that applies digital twin technology to enable real-time verification, analysis, and control of the current position and measurement position of the rail moving device, and measurement and detection information through the sensing device and wear detection means in a control room.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above rail moving device includes a driving unit for moving the rail moving device, a moving support unit that moves along the rail and is supported on the rail when the rail moving device moves, and a rail fixing unit that fixes the rail moving device to the rail at a specific position. The above sensing device includes a ring guide formed in a semicircular shape surrounding the rail at a certain distance from the rail, a sensor unit that measures the distance to the rail head by irradiating light toward the rail head while rotating along the ring guide, and a sensor moving unit that provides driving force to cause the sensor unit to rotate along the ring guide. A digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system characterized by the fact that the stepper motor providing driving force in the sensor moving part is separated from the rotating sensor part and fixed on the rail moving device, thereby making the configuration rotating along the ring guide lighter and smaller, and improving the accuracy and speed of measurement.

3. In Clause 2, the rail wear measuring system is, In order to simultaneously measure rail wear on one rail and the other rail of a pair of railway rails, a first measuring unit moving on one rail and a second measuring unit moving on the other rail are connected to each other through a connecting means and formed in a structure that moves as a single unit. A digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system characterized by the fact that the first measurement unit includes the rail moving device, the sensing device, the wear detection means, and the autonomous driving means, and the second measurement unit includes only the moving support part of the rail moving device, the rail fixing part, and the sensing device, thereby enabling the lightweighting and miniaturization of a pair of measurement units that simultaneously measure the wear of a pair of railway rails.

4. In Paragraph 3, The above-described autonomous driving means comprises: a driving control module that controls movement and fixation on the rail through control of the driving unit and the rail fixing unit of the rail moving device; a measurement position selection module that selects a part on the rail where wear is expected to occur during the movement of the rail moving device and provides the relevant information to fix at that part and measure the wear of the rail head; and an error environment preprocessing module that analyzes an environment in which an error may occur during the measurement process through rotational movement according to the ring guide of the sensor unit and processes it so that noise information is not used in the analysis, thereby forming a digital twin-based autonomous driving method non-contact rail wear measurement system.

5. In Paragraph 4, The above measurement position selection module comprises: a first position selection module that selects a measurement location where vibration exceeding a certain standard occurs during movement on the rail based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device, thereby enabling measurement; a second position selection module that selects a measurement location where the horizontal alignment of the rail moving device deviates above a certain standard during movement on the rail based on horizontal sensor information included in the rail moving device, thereby enabling measurement; a third position selection module that selects a measurement location where the rail curves or the inclination of the rail changes upward or downward during movement on the rail based on orientation sensor or tilt sensor information included in the rail moving device, thereby enabling measurement; and a fourth position selection module that selects a measurement location where the level difference between a pair of first measurement units and second measurement units exceeds a certain standard based on level sensor information included in the rail moving device, thereby enabling measurement. The above error environment preprocessing module comprises: a first preprocessing module that processes measurement data as noise when vibration occurs on the rail based on vibration sensor information included in the rail moving device during the measurement process of the sensor unit; a second preprocessing module that processes measurement data as noise when movement of the rail moving device occurs based on horizontal sensor or tilt sensor information included in the rail moving device during the measurement process of the sensor unit; a third preprocessing module that processes measurement data as noise when the operation of the stepper motor is not maintained consistently during the measurement process of the sensor unit; and a fourth preprocessing module that processes measurement data as noise when measurement is not performed at all sensor units respectively placed in a pair of first measurement units and second measurement units at the measurement point. This characterizes a digital twin-based autonomous driving method non-contact rail wear measurement system.

6. In Paragraph 4, The above wear detection means comprises: a sensing value receiving module that receives distance information with respect to a rail head measured at regular time intervals while the sensor unit rotates around the rail head; a coordinate value calculation module that calculates coordinate values ​​of each point on the rail head using the distance information received by the sensing value receiving module; a linear interpolation module that derives rail head coordinate values ​​between each point by linearly interpolating the coordinate values ​​at each point; a cross-section visualization module that extracts a cross-section of the rail head using the coordinate values ​​derived by the coordinate value calculation module and the linear interpolation module and displays it on a screen; a cross-section comparison module that compares the cross-section of the rail head displayed by the cross-section visualization module with the cross-section of the rail head in a normal state; and a wear judgment module that determines the wear of the rail head according to the comparison result by the cross-section comparison module. A digital twin-based autonomous driving non-contact rail wear measurement system characterized by the above coordinate value calculation module calculating the coordinates of each point of the rail head according to the following mathematical formula. [Mathematical Formula] X = cos(θ) × l, Y = sin(θ) × l (Here, X (mm) represents the horizontal distance from the center of the rail head, Y (mm) represents the vertical height, θ (deg) represents the measurement angle of the sensor unit, and l (mm) represents the distance from the rail head measured by the sensor unit.)

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