Whole-life Cost Assessment of Novel Material Railway Drainage Systems

可靠的排水解决方案对于确保长期和具有成本效益的铁路基础设施的提供至关重要。水在铁路基础设施的退化中起着重要作用，并可能导致轨道几何形状不良和道碴加速恶化，以及相关的高昂维护和维修成本，这些成本不可避免地会转嫁给最终用户。过量的水还可能导致铁路基础设施系统的灾难性故障，这对公共安全构成了真正的威胁。气候变化预计将导致更极端的天气和山洪暴发事件。因此，铁路排水系统将面临严重压力，铁路服务中断的可能性也会增加。英国的大部分铁路排水基础设施都很旧，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著增长，这减少了进行维护的机会。鉴于这些问题，铁路排水系统的现代化被认为是提高铁路网安全和能力以及确保基础设施对不断变化的天气和气候事件的应变能力的关键因素。该项目致力于提供新颖且易于安装的铁路排水解决方案，这些解决方案采用了重量轻、成本效益高的“新材料”。“新材料”包括最近开发的材料以及可以在排水系统中新应用的材料。该项目将考虑在这一应用中使用的一系列材料，例如发泡聚苯乙烯(EPS)，这是一种重量轻、强度高、耐化学性好的材料。该项目包括一系列实验测试，包括在全尺寸铁路轨道模型中试验一种新的材料排水系统，以及使用诺丁汉大学土工离心机进行先进的小规模物理模拟。还将开发数值模型，以更好地了解排水系统内关键参数的影响。该项目的一个重要组成部分是开发工具，以便能够评估所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。还将开发先进的工具，以便更好地了解铁路排水性能与其他铁路系统之间的相互关系，包括其他基础设施资产和运营服务。该项目得益于铁路行业专家的参与，包括铁路行业领先的工程、建筑和技术服务提供商URS和为铁路行业提供一系列咨询服务的ASpin。该项目还将受益于从英国铁路基础设施的所有者Network Rail获得信息，通过研究团队与Network Rail代表之间经过证实的联系。这项工程以跨专业的方法发展工程解决方案，拥有多个技术范畴的专业知识，包括岩土工程、交通基建设计和性能，以及资产管理。工程计划成功完成后，将可发展采用新型轻质、易安装和具成本效益材料的现代铁路排水解决方案。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在知情的情况下做出关于铁路维护和维修的决定，并确保铁路的最终使用获得尽可能最佳的服务。

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.