RAILSANDING
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
Railway industry invests considerable resources to manage low adhesion caused by the build-up leaves, despite these efforts, adhesion issues still have a significant safety and financial impact on the industry and society. The current process of treating railheads to resolve the issue has less than 20% efficiency. The treatment plan is based on a set of assumptions and operator's experience, but actual adhesion enhancement levels are not considered as they are unknown.
Low adhesion is estimated to cost the UK industry £345m per annum and leads to costly delays as well as safety issues due to the loss of traction, potentially leading to uncontrolled condition and in the worst-case collisions. Rail Standard Safety Board (RSSB) has developed the ADHERE research programme to strategically tackle this challenge. However, the lack of fundamental understanding of the fundamental physics at the rail-wheel interface presents a barrier to progress.
The rail-wheel interface is a multi-scale, multi-phase problem which has a highly transitory condition and it is exposed to open operating environments that can produce a variety of contaminations. Understanding the physical and chemical interactions at the interface is challenging, but it is essential and the only route to tackle the problem. In this project, a predictive computational model to simulate adhesion enhancement using sand particles in the rail-wheel interface will be a deliverable. This tool will be calibrated using experimental data at the micro-scale and validated using a full-scale rail-wheel set-up in collaboration with Prof Roger Lewis at the University of Sheffield. Running computational parametric simulations will lead to underscoring the crucial role of particle characteristics to assess the current assumptions stated in the RSSB standard catalogue GMRT2461. I hypothesise that tailoring particle characteristics (such as shape) will enhance 'self-steering' and 'self-entraining' of particles in rail-wheel interface, therefore it reduces particle ejections and increases efficiency. The outcomes of this project will be disseminated to stakeholders at an event hosted by RSSB, in addition to usual academic dissemination routes, i.e. conferences and journals.
The main impact of this research work will be:
In the short term: developing an understanding of the role of particle characteristics in adhesion enhancement; engagement with public and industry.
In the mid-term: informing planning and decision-making models, design engineers and consultants; amendment of standard.
In the long term: increased network capacity, reduced carbon, lower costs and improved customer satisfaction.
Low adhesion is estimated to cost the UK industry £345m per annum and leads to costly delays as well as safety issues due to the loss of traction, potentially leading to uncontrolled condition and in the worst-case collisions. Rail Standard Safety Board (RSSB) has developed the ADHERE research programme to strategically tackle this challenge. However, the lack of fundamental understanding of the fundamental physics at the rail-wheel interface presents a barrier to progress.
The rail-wheel interface is a multi-scale, multi-phase problem which has a highly transitory condition and it is exposed to open operating environments that can produce a variety of contaminations. Understanding the physical and chemical interactions at the interface is challenging, but it is essential and the only route to tackle the problem. In this project, a predictive computational model to simulate adhesion enhancement using sand particles in the rail-wheel interface will be a deliverable. This tool will be calibrated using experimental data at the micro-scale and validated using a full-scale rail-wheel set-up in collaboration with Prof Roger Lewis at the University of Sheffield. Running computational parametric simulations will lead to underscoring the crucial role of particle characteristics to assess the current assumptions stated in the RSSB standard catalogue GMRT2461. I hypothesise that tailoring particle characteristics (such as shape) will enhance 'self-steering' and 'self-entraining' of particles in rail-wheel interface, therefore it reduces particle ejections and increases efficiency. The outcomes of this project will be disseminated to stakeholders at an event hosted by RSSB, in addition to usual academic dissemination routes, i.e. conferences and journals.
The main impact of this research work will be:
In the short term: developing an understanding of the role of particle characteristics in adhesion enhancement; engagement with public and industry.
In the mid-term: informing planning and decision-making models, design engineers and consultants; amendment of standard.
In the long term: increased network capacity, reduced carbon, lower costs and improved customer satisfaction.
Organisations
Publications

Angelidakis V
(2022)
Elongation, flatness and compactness indices to characterise particle form
in Powder Technology


Maramizonouz S
(2024)
CFD-DEM modelling of particle entrainment in wheel-rail interface: a parametric study on train characteristics
in Acta Mechanica

Maramizonouz S
(2023)
Characterisation of physical and mechanical properties of seven particulate materials proposed as traction enhancers.
in Scientific data

Maramizonouz S
(2023)
Numerical modelling of particle entrainment in the wheel-rail interface
in Computational Particle Mechanics

Maramizonouz S
(2022)
Drag force acting on ellipsoidal particles with different shape characteristics
in Powder Technology

Maramizonouz S
(2023)
Characterisation and tribological testing of recycled crushed glass as an alternative rail sand
in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit

Nadimi S
(2022)
How can the effect of particle surface roughness on the contact area be predicted?
in Computers and Geotechnics

Pedrolli L
(2023)
Kinetic Adhesion Test to determine Adhesive Energy

Pedrolli L
(2024)
Estimation of mesoscale surface energy in the kinetic adhesion test
in Powder Technology
Description | In the UK Network Rail Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020-2050, minimal waste and the sustainable use of materials are highlighted as core priorities. The ambition is to reuse, repurpose or redeploy all resources. In low adhesion conditions, sand particles are used to enhance traction throughout the network. However, sand is in danger of becoming scarce as many applications demand it. In this study, an alternative adhesion enhancing particle system made of recycled crushed glass was examined. Both particle characterisation and tribological testing show promising results. Recycled glass particles provide an acceptable level of traction with a similar level of rail damage as typical rail sand. |
Exploitation Route | It is suggested to perform full-scale laboratory and field tests to further confirm the suitability of the recycled glass as an alternative sand. |
Sectors | Environment Transport |
URL | https://doi.org/10.1177/09544097231164716 |
Title | Characterisation of the Particulate Materials proposed as Traction Enhancers |
Description | This dataset provides the characteristics of particulates used as rail sand in the train's wheel and rail interface to facilitate the train's acceleration and deceleration. Full description is provided in a companion paper to be published in Scientific Data. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This dataset provides a physical and mechanical characterisation of seven candidate granular materials in terms of their density, bulk behaviour, particle size, particle shape, hardness, reduced modulus and mineralogical properties. In particular, three-dimensional raw and post-processed micro-computed tomography images of more than 1200 particles are shared. The results provide a detailed dataset which can be used in ongoing and future experimental and numerical investigations studying the role of particulates in the wheel/rail interface. |
URL | https://data.ncl.ac.uk/articles/dataset/Characterisation_of_the_Particulate_Materials_proposed_as_Tr... |
Description | Kinetic Adhesion Test to Determine Particle Surface Energy |
Organisation | University of Deusto |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Host their PhD student, shared the idea, provided the lab space and required equipment, purchased sensors and structure, supervision |
Collaborator Contribution | staff time (3 months secondment) including travel and accommodation cost, setting up the device, writing the code and commissioning the device |
Impact | Kinetic Adhesion Test apparatus to determine powder's adhesive surface energy https://zenodo.org/record/7448231#.ZBBoiHbP2Uk |
Start Year | 2022 |
Title | Kinetic Adhesion Test to Determine Particle Surface Energy |
Description | A new hardware is described to quantify the particle surface energy by assuming that the Johnson Kendall and Roberts theory of elastic-adhesive contacts is applicable. The setup is used in the active section of the measurement, where newly designed elements provide the sharp impact needed to detach the particles under the action of their own kinetic energy. It employs a selection of sensors to provide the necessary measurements in a streamlined procedure, which lets the user complete one test in less than one minute. |
Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | The surface energy is a significant parameter for the characterisation of particulate materials and is widely used in Discrete Element simulations of the bulk behaviour. |
URL | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7448231 |
Description | IOP physics of friction enhancement in wheel-rail interface workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The workshop entitled "Physics of friction enhancement in wheel-rail interface" was held on 4th July 2023 sponsored by the Institute of Physics - 12 oral and 6 poster presentations by academic and industrial participants. Featured presentations were delivered by Rail Partners, Virtual Vehicle, Northern Rail, Knorr-Bremse and Rail Safety and Standard Board. 35 delegates attended from both academia and industry. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.iop.org/events/physics-friction-enhancement-wheel-rail-interface#gref |
Description | RSSB Adhesion Research Group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation at the Rail Safety and Standard Board Adhesion Research Group - around 100 participants from both industry and academia |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.rssb.co.uk/spark |