Field Testing of a Wayside Wheel Crack Detection System

摘要

A prototype crack detection system for railroad wheels has been developed by theNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The system is designed to detect the presence of thermal cracks in railroad wheels as they pass by an inspection point. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has completed testing of the prototype wheel crack detector at the Transportation Test Center in Pueblo, CO. The response of the detector was measured for 20 wheel sets that were operated over the detector at speeds of 5, 10, and 20 mph. Test results indicate that, with modifications, it may be possible to use the detector for the following types of wheel defects: Tread Thermal Cracks; Tread Shelling. A slight difference was observed between the detector signature for thermal cracked wheels vs. shelled wheels. Future development and testing by NIST and ARR will focus on improving the ability of the detector to distinguish between different types of tread flaws and detector durability.