Introduction
Connecting the world to define the future international technical specifications on the use of dynamic measurements.
The UIC Harmotrack Project brings together more than 200 international railway experts from more than 70 railway companies and academic institutions all across the globe. Led by SNCF Réseau, the Harmotrack Project aims to:
- Provide an international benchmark to carry out a State of the Art of measurement techniques for dynamic responses (acceleration and forces) to monitor the track quality;
- Define the domain of use for the acceleration measurements and best devices specifications;
- Define reliable indicators or track quality (increased vigilance, interventions, or slowdowns) based on accelerations for an improved network maintenance and simulation purpose;
- Contribute to enhance safety and reduce costs on all networks by prioritising corrections of track geometry defects focusing on those with the most dangerous impact on vehicle dynamics;
- Propose a future international standards or technical recommendations on the use of dynamic measurements.
The plenary meeting will highlight a roundtable discussion with Directors/CEOs from different railway companies and institutions all across the globe. The roundtable discussion will be open to the public and the high-level speakers will exchange about the following topics.
- Roundtable 1: Railway maintenance and predictive maintenance moderated by David Briginshaw (International Railway Journal) with Marco Gallini (RFI), Atsushi Furukawa (RTRI) Albert Wahba (National Research Council Canada)
- Today railway maintenance plays a key role in maintaining a high level of performance our railway systems. New technologies arose during the last year that could radically change how we consider railway assets.
- Roundtable 2: Importance of railway digitalisation and data analysis of autonomous systems moderated by Christian Chavanel (UIC) with Emmanuel Cox (SNCF Réseau), Sébastien Denis (Shift2Rail), Gerald Schinagl (ÖBB)
- Digitalisation in railway sector introduced many changes that are perceived by stakeholders as an opportunity but also as a challenge.
- Roundtable 3: Harmonisation of global practices: the key to foster railway sector development moderated by Philippa Dean (Railways Africa Magazine) with Patrizia Gatti Gregori (KEOLIS), Andrea Giuricin (TRA consulting), Eneida Elezi (Albanian Railways S.A. and Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy)
- The harmonisation of global practices and the definition of new standards facilitate the information sharing between railway companies.
This year’s plenary meeting will also feature the advances by the sub-working groups in the project.
- SWG1: Determination of Thresholds for Accelerations:
- SWG1-A to study the correlation between measured forces and accelerations;
- SGW1-B to study the correlation between measured track geometry defects and accelerations:
- SWG1-B Alpha to study filters applied to dynamic measurements;
- SWG1-B Beta to study the correlation between track geometry and accelerations, with the intent to both detect exceedances and qualify geometric defects using acceleration signals (maintenance oriented):
- SWG1-B Beta 1 to study the most dangerous combinations of track geometry defects using multi-body simulations;
- SWG1-B Beta 2 to study the correlation between track geometry and accelerations using statistical analysis;
- SWG1-B Beta 3 to study the detection of track geometry defects using machine learning techniques.
- SWG1-B Gamma to study threshold occurrences and to use risk analysis approaches to transfer thresholds from a reference vehicle to a different one while taking into account possible various speeds.
- SWG2: Optimal use of AxleBox Accelerations (ABA) for the detection of short length track defects;
- SWG3: Use of innovative and cheap devices to monitor the track quality.
Please note that the afternoon session is exclusive for Harmotrack members only.
Furthermore, parallel technical visits are organised at SNCF facilities on the second day (3rd December 2021). The technical visits will be open to the public. However, due to health restrictions, limited slots are available and priorities will be given to the Harmotrack Project members.
The technical visits include:
- SNCF Réseau - Centre d’Essais Voie (CEV) - Track Test Center
- Located in the inner suburbs of Paris at Saint-Ouen, CEV specialises in tests on track components (sleepers, fastening systems, under-sleeper pads and under-ballast mats). The laboratory, reports to the Track and Surroundings department of SNCF Réseau and has honed its international experience and unprecedented knowledge of the ballasted and ballastless track sector since 1946.
- SNCF Voyageurs - Agence d’Essai Ferroviaire (AEF) - Railway Test Agency
- The Railway Test Agency (SNCF – AEF) is located close to Paris and extends over 3.75 hectares at Vitry sur Seine. Scientific and technical skills required to perform tests or expert appraisals on rolling stock can be found here. The laboratory started in 1933 with the inauguration of the “locomotive test rig” and then became the Vitry test centre and, subsequently, AEF in 1999. The Railway Test Agency holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification and is accredited under ISO 17025 on multiple tests.
- SNCF Réseau – Laboratoire d’Expertises Métallurgiques (LEM) – Metallurgic Expert Assessments Laboratory
- Also located in the inner suburbs of Paris at Saint-Ouen, the LEM specializes in tests and expert assessments on metallurgical components of tracks, in particular on rail and its welding processes. The laboratory also analyses every broken rail on the French National Network. The laboratory reports to the to the Track and Surroundings department of SNCF Réseau, and was created in 1938 following the merge of laboratories of the former regional railway companies.
Centre d’Essais Voie (CEV) - Track Test Center and Laboratoire d’Expertises Métallurgiques (LEM) technical visits will be done over the same morning session.
Agenda
2 December 2021: Round tables and technical discussions
UIC Headquarters, 16 Rue Jean Rey, 75015 Paris / Online (hybrid event)
Please note that the morning round tables are open to the public. However, the afternoon session is exclusive for Harmotrack members only.
3 December 2021: Technical visits with SNCF Réseau
- SNCF Réseau - Centre d’Essais Voie (CEV) - Track Test Center
- SNCF Voyageurs - Agence d’Essai Ferroviaire (AEF) - Railway Test Agency
- SNCF Réseau – Laboratoire d’Expertises Métallurgiques (LEM) – Metallurgic Expert Assessments Laboratory
Please note that the technical visits will be open to the public. However, due to health restrictions, limited slots are available and priorities will be given to the Harmotrack Project members.
Language
English
Programme
Morning buffet (8:30-9:00)
Welcome remarks (SNCF Réseau) (9:00-9:05)
Danilo Sorrentino (SNCF Réseau)
Introductory speech (UIC) (9:05-9:15)
Christian Chavanel (UIC)
Presentation of the UIC TTI Sector (UIC) (9:15-9:25)
David Villalmanzo Resusta (UIC)
Round tables (9:25-12:30)
Round Table 1 - Railway maintenance and predictive maintenance (9:25-10:15)
Moderated by David Briginshaw (International Railway Journal)
Marco Gallini (RFI), Atsushi Furukawa (RTRI) Albert Wahba (National Research Council Canada)
Today railway maintenance plays a key role in maintaining a high level of performance of our railway systems. New technologies arose during the last year that could radically change how we consider railway assets.
coffee break (10:15 - 10:45)
Round Table 2 - Importance of railway digitalisation and data analysis of autonomous systems (10:45-11:35)
Moderated by Christian Chavanel (UIC)
Emmanuel Cox (SNCF Réseau), Sébastien Denis (Shift2Rail), Gerald Schinagl (ÖBB)
Digitalisation in railway sector introduced many changes that are perceived by stakeholders as an opportunity but also as a challenge.
Round Table 3 - Harmonisation of global practices: the key to foster railway sector development (11:35-12:25)
Moderated by Philippa Dean (Railways Africa Magazine)
Patrizia Gatti Gregori (KEOLIS), Andrea Giuricin (TRA consulting), Eneida Elezi (Albanian Railways S.A. and Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy)
The harmonisation of global practices and the definition of new standards facilitate the information sharing between railway companies.
Closing remarks (UIC) (12:25-12:30)
Mercedes Gutierrez (UIC)
Lunch break (12:30-13:30)
Introductory Speech and Presentation of the Harmotrack Project and its advances (13:30-13:45)
Mercedes Gutierrez (UIC) & Danilo Sorrentino (SNCF Réseau)
Non-Disclosure and Collaboration Agreement (NDA) (13:45-13:50)
Sophie Carmet/Charafa Hajjany (UIC)
Official Benchmark Synthesis presentation (13:50-14:10)
Danilo Sorrentino (SNCF Réseau)
SWG1-A: Study of correlation between forces and accelerations (14:10-14:30)
Fatih Ünlü (SBB CFF FFS)
SWG1-B: Study of correlations between accelerations and track geometry (14:30-14:50)
Danilo Sorrentino (SNCF Réseau)
SWG1-B Alpha: Study of filters (14:50-15:10)
Fulvio Cianci (RFI) & Hakkı Küçükkeskin (TCDD)
Coffee break (15:10-15:30)
SWG1-B Beta 1: Study of most dangerous combination of track geometry defects (15:30-15:50)
Ali Tajaddini (FRA), Raphael Marotta (VLI logistica) & Brian Marquis (VOLPE)
SWG1-B Beta 2: Study of correlations between accelerations and track geometry using statistical analysis (15:50-16:10)
Emily Greve and David Stolnis (Amtrak) & Danilo Sorrentino (SNCF Réseau)
SWG1-B Beta 3: Detection of track geometry defects using machine learning techniques (16:10-16:30)
Siying Chen (SNCF Réseau) & Alfonso Panunzio (RATP)
SWG1-B Gamma: Study of occurrences and risk analysis, transferring thresholds from reference vehicle to different vehicle and speeds (16:30-16:50)
Nicolas Lestoille (SNCF Réseau) & Maciej Pałyga (PKP PLK S.A.)
SWG2: Optimal use of axle box accelerations for the detection of short length defects (16:50-17:10)
Stanislaw Banaszak (SBB CFF FFS) & Olivier Vo Van (SNCF)
SWG3: Use of innovative and cheap devices (17:10-17:30)
Franck Dadié (SNCF Réseau)
UIC Harmotrack project planning and organisation (17:30-17:40)
Danilo Sorrentino (SNCF Réseau)
Closing speech (17:40-18:00)
Danilo Sorrentino (SNCF Réseau)
Registration
Contact
For further information please contact Mr Danilo Sorrentino, Head of Vehicle-Track interaction section at SNCF Réseau, at danilo.sorrentino at reseau.sncf.fr or the Harmotrack Management Team at harmotrack at reseau.sncf.fr