Continuous Wheel Rail Vertical Force Measurement via Shared Shear Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring wheel/rail vertical force in rail transportation are discontinuous and ineffective, particularly in long-distance measurements, due to limitations in the effective measurement scale and system reliability, which fail to adequately monitor the safety of passenger and high-speed trains.
Innovation Solution
A continuous measurement method and system that uses a compound measurement area formed by multiple unit measurement areas, with shear force and support force measurement points, allowing for the combination of wheel/rail vertical forces to achieve a fully continuous measurement by splicing sequential and overlapping periods of force data, thereby overcoming the limitations of shear force measurement transition areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If discontinuous mid-span shear force method is used, then measurement cost is reduced, but measurement continuity and effective measurement scale are limited to about 0.1m
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system is divided into multiple unit measurement areas, each with its own shear force measurement points and sleeper vertical support force measurement points. By segmenting the measurement domain and combining results from multiple segments, the system achieves continuous long-distance measurement while maintaining the simplicity of individual measurement units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines shear force measurement data from multiple points with sleeper vertical support force measurement data to calculate wheel/rail vertical forces. By merging multiple measurement sources and using force equilibrium relationships, the system overcomes the limitations of single-point shear force measurement and achieves continuous measurement over extended distances.
2Productivity
If multiple continuously arranged unit measurement areas are used for long-distance measurement, then measurement coverage is improved, but system cost increases and reliability decreases due to non-shared end sensors
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent unit measurement areas share common shear force measurement points at their boundaries. This merging approach reduces the total number of sensors required, lowers system cost, and improves reliability by reducing component count while maintaining continuous measurement coverage through the shared measurement points.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared shear force measurement points serve dual purposes: they are the ending measurement point for one unit measurement area and the starting measurement point for the adjacent unit measurement area. This multi-functionality eliminates redundant sensors and ensures continuous measurement without gaps or overlaps.
3Length of stationary object
If shear force+support force method is applied, then measurement platform length is extended, but ineffective shear force measurement transition area of close to steel rail height is created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the ineffective transition area from the measurement process by using force equilibrium calculations that rely on sleeper vertical support forces rather than direct shear force measurements in the transition zone. This removes the measurement gap near the steel rail height while maintaining continuous measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Sleeper vertical support force measurement points are introduced as intermediary measurement elements between shear force measurement points. These intermediary measurements enable calculation of wheel/rail vertical forces without requiring direct shear force measurements in the ineffective transition area, thus bridging the measurement gap.
4Measurement precision
If different strain combinations of steel rails are used for long-distance continuous measurement, then measurement continuity is achieved, but maintenance becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system is segmented into independent unit measurement areas with standardized sensor configurations. Each segment can be independently maintained or replaced without affecting the entire measurement system, making maintenance more convenient while preserving continuous measurement capability through the segmented architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A continuous measurement method for a wheel/rail vertical force includes: continuously arranging classic wheel/rail vertical force unit measurement areas in a form of “shear force+support force” on rails, where adjacent unit measurement areas share an end shear force measurement, and each two adjacent unit measurement areas form a unique compound measurement area; obtaining the wheel/rail vertical force when a wheelset passes the unit measurement areas other than the transition area of shear force measurement by using the classic unit measurement areas; obtaining the wheel/rail vertical force when the wheelset passes the transition area of the shared shear force measurement by using the unique compound measurement area; and combining all wheel/rail vertical forces on the unit measurement areas and the compound measurement areas to obtain a long distance fully continuous wheel/rail vertical force of the wheelset.