Project Outline

Work Packages

The RAILECT project is industry driven and TWI is leading the project because of its experience, both technically and in project management. The consortium has the responsibility for the success of the project and has therefore organised the work activities into a number of discrete Work Packages. The project is divided into a data acquisition and design phase (WPs1-4) and the implementation phase (WPs5-8). Each work package (WP) will be led by the listed partner, and TWI is responsible to maintain an overview and to ensure that the WP administration and the milestones are achieved.

WP1. Review, System specification & Sample acquisition
- lead by Jarvis and Network Rail

A review and system specification will be produced to guide the overall work packages. At the same time test samples will be procured / manufactured for testing the ultrasonic system and determining the acceptance criteria.

WP2. Determine acceptance criteria - lead by TWI

The acceptance criteria will be generated by the Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA) and fatigue testing for different defects and locations in the weld. This will create a new database of acceptable defects within alumino-thermic rail welds.

WP3. Ultrasonic Modelling - lead by Vermon

Design of the ultrasonic system will require measurement of the ultrasonic properties of the weld, and incorporating the measurements into models that will determine the beam behaviour and its interaction with defects in such welds. Furthermore the complex theoretical analysis of the beam will enable discrimination between reflected signals from the weld itself and volumetric defects. This will represent a significant advance in the theoretical understanding of ultrasonics in this weld material and therefore will improve the equipment design methodology.

WP4. Ultrasonic System Design - lead by TWI

The prototype will be designed using information from WP3 to produce a complete design specification for the system. The first part of this process will be to establish the optimum position of the probes, the parts of the system and phased array laws.

WP5. System Manufacture - lead by Optel

A supporting instrumentation, "hybrid of phased array and complex interrogation patterns", such as: tandem pitch-catch probes and highly focused beams operating in sequence will be developed. The system will produce signals that will be interpreted with algorithms to give an automatic assessment of defect size.

WP6. Software & System Integration - lead by KCC

Control and analysis software and output display will be written, and will be integrated with the hardware. It will first be compare with the data from WP2 and WP3 to establish the relationship between the ultrasonic images and the defect size. Finally it will compare the data with the multiple acceptance criteria.

WP7. Laboratory & Field Trials - lead by Spree

The equipment produced from WP4 will be tested and the performance checked. This will be done against the samples produced in WP1 together with some new samples Finally the equipment will be taken on site to initial field trials.

WP8. Exploitation, Dissemination & Training - lead by Optel

The dissemination will be managed through WP8 and will focus on dissemination across other industry sectors and developing supply chains. Traditional routes such as publications, conferences, and workshops will be used, for the material generated in the project deemed suitable for wider dissemination. A pilot training course will also be developed and given to staff of Spree for the purpose of implementing the equipment on site.

WP9.Project & Coordination Management - lead by TWI

The overall project will be monitored and controlled in a management task in WP9 to ensure deliverables and reports are produced in time and within budget.