The examination of the application and accuracy of optical sensors for the purpose of determining rail lubricity of top-of-rail friction modifier is investigated in this research. A literature review of optical sensors as they relate to detecting thin layers is presented, as well as a literature review of the significant aspect of surface roughness on optical signature. Both commercially available optical sensors and optical devices, such as independent lasers and detectors, are examined in a comprehensive parametric study to determine the most suitable configuration for a prototype with adequate third-body detection. A prototype is constructed considering parameters such as sunlight contamination, vibrations, and angle of detection. The prototype is evaluated in a series of laboratory tests with known lubricity conditions for its accuracy of measurements and susceptibility to environmental conditions, in preparation for field testing. Upon field testing the prototype, the data indicates that it is capable of providing subjective measurements that can help with determining whether a rail is highly lubricated or unlubricated, or it is moderately lubricated. It is anticipated that the device could be used to provide a rail lubricity index. The investigation of the optical response of a rail in various conditions, including top-of-rail friction modifier presence and underlying surface roughness, reveals the behavior of friction modifying material on rail/wheel interactions. It is determined that surface roughness is imperative for distinguishing between scattering due to surface condition and scattering due to third-body layers. Additionally it is revealed that friction modifying materials become entrapped within the surface roughness of the rail, effectively causing a "seasoning" effect instead of a simple third body layer. This provides some explanation on the inadequacy of determining lubricity conditions using contacting methods since they cannot detect the entrapped material that are revealed only when the top of rail undergoes a micro deformation due to a passing wheel. Furthermore, the fluorescent signature of flange grease can be utilized to detect any flange grease contamination on top of rail. The results of the study indicate that it is possible to have practical optical sensors for top-of-rail third body layer detection and any contamination that may exist, initially through spot checking the rail and eventually through in-motion surveying. / Master of Science

This thesis aims to design a test equipment for positive change the adhesion contact between the wheel and the rail head. This can be achieved by changing the size of the coefficient of friction, which are eliminated negative effects accompanying the operation of the rail transport (acoustic emissions and excessive wear). Reducing friction must not be compromised traction or braking. Equipment ranks among to Top of Rail systems where as medium is used the friction modifier. The study includes an overview of available types of friction modifiers and applicators Top of rail system. The design of the applicator is built based on the off-board system that is placed in front of the arc track with a small radius of curvature.

This master’s thesis describes design and realization of a wayside unit for top-of-rail lubrication (TOR). TOR lubricant application causes wear reduction and lower noise emission. Firstly, patent analysis was provided and critically evaluated according to which requirements for developed device were specified – accurate dosage of small lubricant volume and high repeatability. On the basis of concept design, an experimental rig was created and used for lubricant application verification and spray lubrication parameter identification. Acquired results are considered in the final design of wayside unit with a technical facility. Two utility models were created within this master’s thesis.

This research serves to evaluate the ability of optical detection techniques to ascertain the lubricity of revenue service track from a moving platform for railroad applications. A literature review is presented that covers the rail vehicle dynamics that drive the need of Top-of-Rail lubrication and directly affect the manner in which the Top-of-Rail Friction Modifiers (TORFM) and flange grease both spread down rail and eventually wear away. This literature review also highlights previous research in the field of rail lubrication and the benefits that rail lubricants, specifically TORFM, provide for the railroads. Finally, the literature review covers the governing optical principals inherent to the synchronous spot radiometer that has been developed for use in the research as a gloss ratio instrument and also addresses the drawbacks and challenges inherent to applying this type of instrument in the railroad industry. The research then overviews previous rail lubricity sensors developed by the Railway Technologies Laboratory (RTL) at Virginia Tech and the lessons learned from their application. The preceding field testing conducting with a modified second generation rail lubricity sensor and a rail push car is briefly summarized with emphasis on the drawbacks and issues that were used to develop the third generation sensor used for this research. The development of the third generation sensor is covered, including the issues that it attempts to solve from its predecessor and the governing optical principals that govern the operation of the sensor. The laboratory evaluations conducting to commission the sensor are also covered in preparation for deploying the new third generation sensor in medium speed, medium distance revenue service testing. This includes a shakedown run on a siding in Riverside, VA prior to conducting mainline in-service testing. Finally, this research thesis covers the in-service testing on revenue track conducted with the new third generation rail lubricity sensor and the accompanying remote-controlled (RC) rail cart. The two components, when combined, create a Lubricity Assessment System which is capable of being operated at speeds upwards of 10 mph remotely from a follow hy-rail truck. The data collected from this field test is analyzed for the lubricity assessments that are able to be drawn from this initial phase of field service testing. The conclusions from this testing affirm the ability of optical methods to determine and evaluate Top-of-Rail (TOR) lubricity from a moving platform. Specifically, the new sensor is able to identify several local phenomena that demonstrate the high potential for errant evaluation of rail lubricity evaluation from spot check based methods that are solved by evaluating the track in a continuous, moving fashion. Based on the continuous moving data collected for this test, several new signal traits such as the spatial frequency (wavenumber) associated with the passing freight cart wheels in the lubricity signal and the phantom applicator effect of transient lubricity conditions at the entrances and exits of curves can be detected and investigated. The success of this research indicates the continued evaluation of lubricity signals from a moving platform is warranted and suggests the potential for introducing one of these systems to various track metrology cars deployed throughout the United States railroads. / Master of Science / The United States railroads have been employing rail lubricants to the rails since the beginning of the industry and have recently, in the past 20 years, introduced another type of lubricant: Top-of-Rail Friction Modifiers (TORFM). TORFM creates a third body layer between the train wheels and the Top-of-Rail surface to minimize asset wear of both the wheel and rail and to increase the train efficiency. As the United States railroads embrace Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), increased train efficiency can allow the railroads to run longer trains with fewer locomotives. This increases the efficiency and capability of the rail network and also decreases the fuel burned and the amount of rail and wheel wear. TORFM has been proven to be effective and is widely adopted, but the railroads are still in need of tools to determine the presence and absence of these thin and often nearly invisible layers of lubricant on the rail surface. This research uses lasers as tool to quantify the level of lubrication of the rail surface. The presence of rail lubricants, such as TORFM, on the rail surface change the amount of light that is reflected and scattered off the shiny steel surface. These changes are often small but can be captured by photodetectors housed in the instrument. By plotting the detected sensor values, trends in the lubricity signal can be tracked and evaluated to determine the presence or absence of rail lubricants and assess the overall quality of lubrication on the rail at specific locations down track. The research in this thesis takes existing methods that were used for single spot inspections and adapts them to a moving platform. The moving platform is able to continuously scan the Top-of-Rail surface as the instrument moves along and generates continuous moving evaluations of rail lubricity. This can be especially important when the lubricity is not uniform and allows for trends in the data to be analyzed to provide more consistent and precise evaluations of the lubricity trends down rail. Optical tools like this sensor, which are by nature non-contact sensors, can easily be adapted to existing track measurement railcars and deployed system wide. This solves a strong need for railroad engineers: to be able to identify the presence of rail lubricants and evaluate the effectiveness of their lubrication practices.

The adhesion in the wheel-rail contact can be effectively controlled by using the friction modifier. Adhesion control can reduce excessive wear of the contact bodies or noise. The essence of this diploma thesis is to determine the optimal amount of friction modifier in wheel-rail contact depending on the climatic and operating conditions. For experimental study of the behavior of the friction modifier, the twin-disc device is used. Twin-disc simulates and controls the most important operating parameters such as speed, slip, attack angle or contact pressure. On the basis of these findings, the off-board top-of-rail lubricator system was designed. This system controls the amount of friction modifier according to current climatic and operating conditions.

Předložená disertační práce se zabývá experimentálním studiem modifikátorů tření a maziv pro temeno kolejnice, které jsou aplikovány do kontaktu kola a kolejnice za účelem optimalizace adheze a redukce hluku. Hlavním cílem práce bylo objasnit vliv aplikovaného množství a složení těchto látek na adhezi v kontaktu. Hlavní pozornost byla věnována zejména potencionálním hrozbám souvisejících s kriticky nízkou adhezí, která může nastat po aplikaci těchto látek. Experimentální studium probíhalo v laboratorních i reálných podmínkách, konkrétně v tramvajovém provozu. V případě laboratorních experimentů byl využit komerční tribometr a dvoudiskové zařízení umožňující simulovat průjezd vozidla traťovým obloukem. Kromě samotné adheze bylo při experimentech sledováno také opotřebení a míra hluku. Výsledky ukázaly, že maziva pro temeno kolejnice jsou schopna poskytovat požadované třecí vlastnosti, nicméně jejich chování je silně závislé na aplikovaném množství. V případě předávkování kontaktu dochází ke kriticky nízkým hodnotám adheze, které vedou k výraznému prodloužení brzdné dráhy. V případě modifikátorů tření bylo ukázáno, že chování těchto látek je výrazně ovlivněno odpařováním základního média. Výsledky také ukázaly, že nadměrné množství částic pro modifikaci tření může způsobit kriticky nízké hodnoty adheze. U obou výše zmíněných typů produktů byl prokázán pozitivní vliv na míru opotřebení a míru poškození povrchu, zatímco významná redukce hluku byla dosažena pouze v případech, kdy došlo ke značnému poklesu adheze. V závěru této práce jsou uvedena doporučení pro další výzkumné aktivity v této oblasti.