Whole-life Cost Assessment of Novel Material Railway Drainage Systems

可靠的排水解决方案对于确保铁路基础设施的长期和成本效益至关重要。水在铁路基础设施退化中起着重要作用，可能导致轨道几何形状不良和道碴加速退化，相关的维护和维修成本很高，这不可避免地会转嫁给最终用户。过量的水还可能造成铁路基础设施系统的灾难性故障，这对公共安全构成真实的威胁。气候变化预计将导致更多的极端天气和山洪暴发事件。因此，铁路排水系统将承受严重压力，铁路服务受影响的可能性亦会增加。英国大部分铁路排水基础设施陈旧，需要维修或更换。然而，英国铁路行业正在经历乘客数量和货运量的显着增长，这减少了进行维护的机会。鉴于这些问题，铁路排水系统现代化被认为是提高铁路网络安全性和容量，并确保基础设施对不断变化的天气和气候事件的适应能力的关键因素。该项目的重点是提供新颖且易于安装的铁路排水解决方案，该解决方案使用轻质且具有成本效益的“新材料”。“新材料”包括最近开发的材料以及可在排水系统中新应用的材料。该项目将考虑在此应用中使用的一系列材料，例如发泡聚苯乙烯（EPS），这是一种具有良好耐化学性的轻质坚固材料。该项目包括一系列实验测试，包括在全尺寸铁路轨道模型内试验新材料排水系统，以及使用诺丁汉大学土工离心机进行先进的小规模物理建模。还将开发数值模型，以更好地了解排水系统中关键参数的影响。该项目的一个重要组成部分是开发工具，以评估开发的新材料排水解决方案的整个生命周期成本。这些工具有可能帮助铁路运营商在选择轨道和排水系统维护和维修解决方案方面做出明智的决定。我们亦会开发先进的工具，让市民更深入了解铁路排水系统的表现与其他铁路系统（包括其他基建资产及运营服务）之间的相互关系。该项目得益于铁路行业专家的参与，其中包括URS（铁路部门工程、建筑和技术服务的主要提供商）和ASPIN（为铁路行业提供一系列咨询服务）。该项目还将受益于英国铁路基础设施的所有者Network Rail的信息，通过研究团队与Network Rail代表之间的可靠联系。该项目采用多学科方法开发工程解决方案，包括岩土工程、交通基础设施设计和性能以及资产管理等多个技术领域的专业知识。该项目的成功完成将有助于开发现代化的铁路排水解决方案，其中包括新型轻质、易于安装和具有成本效益的材料。作为该项目的一部分开发的生命周期成本评估工具将使铁路运营商能够就铁路维护和维修做出明智的决定，并确保铁路的最终用户获得最佳服务。

Reliable drainage solutions are critical for ensuring the long-term and cost-effective provision of railway infrastructure. Water plays a significant role in the degradation of railway infrastructure and can cause poor track geometry and accelerated deterioration of ballast, with high associated maintenance and repair costs which inevitably get passed on to the end-user. Excessive amounts of water may also cause catastrophic failure of railway infrastructure systems, which represent a real threat to public safety. Climate change is predicted to result in more extreme weather and flash flood events. The railway drainage systems will therefore be put under severe strain with increased likelihood of disruption to rail services. Much of the UK railway drainage infrastructure is old and in need of repair or replacement. However, the UK railway industry is experiencing significant growth in the number of passengers and the amount of freight carried, which reduces the opportunities available to carry out maintenance. In light of these issues, railway drainage system modernisation is considered to be a key factor for improving railway network safety and capacity, and ensuring the infrastructure's resilience to changing weather and climate events. This project focuses on providing novel and easily installed railway drainage solutions which make use of lightweight and cost-effective 'new materials'. 'New materials' includes those recently developed as well as materials that can be newly applied within drainage systems. The project will consider a range of materials for use in this application, such as Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) which is a lightweight and strong material with good chemical resistance. The project includes a range of experimental testing, including trials of a new material drainage system within a full-scale railway track model, as well as advanced small-scale physical modelling using the University of Nottingham geotechnical centrifuge. Numerical models will also be developed to gain a better understanding of the effects of key parameters within the drainage system. An important component of the project is the development of tools which will allow for the assessment of the full lifecycle costs of the developed new material drainage solutions. These tools have the potential to help railway operators make informed decisions relating to the selection of track and drainage system maintenance and repair solutions. Advanced tools will also be developed which will provide a better understanding of the inter-relationships between railway drainage performance and other railway systems, including other infrastructure assets and operation services. The project benefits from the involvement of experts from railway industry, including URS, a leading provider of engineering, construction and technical services within the railway sector, and ASPIN, who provide a range of consultancy services to the railway industry. The project will also benefit from access to information from Network Rail, the owner of the UK railway infrastructure, through proven links between the research team and representatives from Network Rail. The project fosters a multi-disciplinary approach to developing engineering solutions, with expertise from several technical areas, including geotechnics, transportation infrastructure design and performance as well as asset management.The successful completion of the project will allow the development of modern railway drainage solutions which incorporate new lightweight, easy to install, and cost-effective materials. The lifecycle cost assessment tools developed as part of this project will enable railway operators to make informed decisions about railway maintenance and repair, and ensure that end-uses of the railway get the best service possible.