Earth-shaking excavations. Avalanche and flood prone regions. Heavy trains passing along well-worn tracks. What do these have in common? They all threaten the structural stability of rails and railway infrastructure.
Discover how Leica Geosystems monitoring solutions mitigate these threats, ensuring secure and seamless railways in our article, featuring 5 impactful global case studies.
Learn more: https://hxgn.biz/3zqOat3#GrowWithMonitoring#RailwayMonitoring
It's impressive to see the proactive measures taken to ensure railway safety in various challenging conditions. These monitoring solutions are vital for maintaining the integrity of railway infrastructure. Great work, Leica Geosystems!
Interesting insights! Thanks for sharing this article on how Leica Geosystems monitoring solutions mitigate threats to the structural stability of rails and railway infrastructure. The case studies are particularly valuable for understanding how these solutions can be used in real-world application
Investigations are ongoing into the cause of a “sinkhole” 🕳 discovered beneath the #railway tracks after a train derailment in Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. The incident occurred early on the morning of March 22nd, 2024, when a Northern passenger train travelling between Lancaster and Barrow-in-Furness came off the tracks 🚅 .
A void was found approximately 150 metres 📏 from the derailment site. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has been notified and is investigating the incident. All passengers and staff on the train were unharmed, and efforts are underway to repair the damage 🛠 and restore service.
Network Rail representatives have mentioned that it is a “real possibility” that heavy rain 🌧 contributed to the formation of the hole. The area is coastal, and recent wet weather has caused land close to the tracks to become flooded.
It is crucial for #rail infrastructure managers to understand how heavy rain and poor drainage can lead to sinkholes on railways 🚉, especially concerning ballast and track beds.
🌊 Ballast Saturation: During heavy rain, water can saturate the ballast, significantly reducing its load baring capacity. This saturation weakens the ballast material, making it more susceptible to deformation and failure.
🛤 Track Bed Erosion: Poor drainage combined with heavy rainfall can lead to erosion of the track bed material beneath the ballast. This erosion can create voids and void spaces between the tracks, compromising their stability. Over time, as trains pass over these weakened structures, the load may exacerbate the problem, leading to further subsidence.
📉 Softening of Subgrade: Heavy rain can saturate the subgrade, causing it to soften or weaken. This softening reduces the ability of the subgrade to support the track ballast above it, increasing the risk of sinkholes forming.
📈 Increased Hydrostatic Pressure: Excessive rainfall can lead to a rise in groundwater levels. This increase in hydrostatic pressure can further destabilise the ballast and track bed materials, promoting subsidence and sinkhole formations.
Track subsidence and raised moisture levels are precursors to sinkhole formation, as well as to other geohazards such as landslips. #Satellitedata can detect 🛰 subtle changes in both of these parameters to pinpoint potential problem areas for closer visual inspection 🔍.
It can also be used to regularly update the susceptibility of railway lines to #geohazards such as sinkholes and landslips in response to weather events and long-term climate change.
Insightful article! Understanding how heavy rain impacts rail infrastructure is crucial. The explanation on ballast saturation, track bed erosion, and hydrostatic pressure is informative. Utilising satellite data for early detection is innovative. Ensuring rail network resilience is vital. Talk to Geofem about how we can monitor your rail infrastructure and surrounding geology. 🚆 #RailSafety#InfrastructureManagement
Investigations are ongoing into the cause of a “sinkhole” 🕳 discovered beneath the #railway tracks after a train derailment in Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria. The incident occurred early on the morning of March 22nd, 2024, when a Northern passenger train travelling between Lancaster and Barrow-in-Furness came off the tracks 🚅 .
A void was found approximately 150 metres 📏 from the derailment site. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has been notified and is investigating the incident. All passengers and staff on the train were unharmed, and efforts are underway to repair the damage 🛠 and restore service.
Network Rail representatives have mentioned that it is a “real possibility” that heavy rain 🌧 contributed to the formation of the hole. The area is coastal, and recent wet weather has caused land close to the tracks to become flooded.
It is crucial for #rail infrastructure managers to understand how heavy rain and poor drainage can lead to sinkholes on railways 🚉, especially concerning ballast and track beds.
🌊 Ballast Saturation: During heavy rain, water can saturate the ballast, significantly reducing its load baring capacity. This saturation weakens the ballast material, making it more susceptible to deformation and failure.
🛤 Track Bed Erosion: Poor drainage combined with heavy rainfall can lead to erosion of the track bed material beneath the ballast. This erosion can create voids and void spaces between the tracks, compromising their stability. Over time, as trains pass over these weakened structures, the load may exacerbate the problem, leading to further subsidence.
📉 Softening of Subgrade: Heavy rain can saturate the subgrade, causing it to soften or weaken. This softening reduces the ability of the subgrade to support the track ballast above it, increasing the risk of sinkholes forming.
📈 Increased Hydrostatic Pressure: Excessive rainfall can lead to a rise in groundwater levels. This increase in hydrostatic pressure can further destabilise the ballast and track bed materials, promoting subsidence and sinkhole formations.
Track subsidence and raised moisture levels are precursors to sinkhole formation, as well as to other geohazards such as landslips. #Satellitedata can detect 🛰 subtle changes in both of these parameters to pinpoint potential problem areas for closer visual inspection 🔍.
It can also be used to regularly update the susceptibility of railway lines to #geohazards such as sinkholes and landslips in response to weather events and long-term climate change.
Engineers & researchers can help us better understand earthquakes, manage roadways, and protect aging sewer systems from storm surges.
Read more about exciting infrastructure research and innovation in Bentley’s new column, The 5 Coolest Things in Infrastructure This Week.
Engineers & researchers can help us better understand earthquakes, manage roadways, and protect aging sewer systems from storm surges.
Read more about exciting infrastructure research and innovation in Bentley’s new column, The 5 Coolest Things in Infrastructure This Week.
Engineers & researchers can help us better understand earthquakes, manage roadways, and protect aging sewer systems from storm surges.
Read more about exciting infrastructure research and innovation in Bentley’s new column, The 5 Coolest Things in Infrastructure This Week.
Engineers & researchers can help us better understand earthquakes, manage roadways, and protect aging sewer systems from storm surges.
Read more about exciting infrastructure research and innovation in Bentley’s new column, The 5 Coolest Things in Infrastructure This Week.
Engineers & researchers can help us better understand earthquakes, manage roadways, and protect aging sewer systems from storm surges.
Read more about exciting infrastructure research and innovation in Bentley’s new column, The 5 Coolest Things in Infrastructure This Week.
Engineers & researchers can help us better understand earthquakes, manage roadways, and protect aging sewer systems from storm surges.
Read more about exciting infrastructure research and innovation in Bentley’s new column, The 5 Coolest Things in Infrastructure This Week.
Engineers & researchers can help us better understand earthquakes, manage roadways, and protect aging sewer systems from storm surges.
Read more about exciting infrastructure research and innovation in Bentley’s new column, The 5 Coolest Things in Infrastructure This Week.
Engineers & researchers can help us better understand earthquakes, manage roadways, and protect aging sewer systems from storm surges.
Read more about exciting infrastructure research and innovation in Bentley’s new column, The 5 Coolest Things in Infrastructure This Week.
It's impressive to see the proactive measures taken to ensure railway safety in various challenging conditions. These monitoring solutions are vital for maintaining the integrity of railway infrastructure. Great work, Leica Geosystems!