Abstract:
Identification and diagnosis of railway track problems of the supporting
layers is essential to achieve efficient maintenance and safe train
operations [1]. Nowadays, maintenance interventions consist of
performing different operations such as levelling and tamping of the
track, based on the measured geometric parameters. Although these
actions restore the track design geometry, they do not solve substructure
related problems. Thus, a better maintenance policy should be adopted
so that structural problems can be identified and solved earlier, for
example by using non-destructive tests [1,2] during monitoring surveys.
The ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-destructive technique that
allows the evaluation of the infrastructure condition almost continuously,
enabling, besides the measurement of thickness of layers, the
identification of changes in the structure and material condition along the
track [2].
This paper presents some GPR tests performed for railway evaluation,
both during construction and during service life. The objective was to
study different possible applications of this technique to railway tracks.
Some of the results obtained are presented in this paper, together with
the calibration procedures performed. Moreover, future research lines are
addressed, with the aim of improving the GPR testing methodology and,
in this way, to optimise the assessment of the track condition.
