Safety and cost benefits from dynamic response analysis of axle bearings
Routine overhaul and inspection activities account for a significant proportion of the operational and maintenance costs of the rail freight sector.
Axle bearings are typically overhauled, inspected, and replaced at predefined intervals under a preventive maintenance strategy. However, unexpected in-service failures can occur.
Early detection of bearing defects, using dynamic response analysis (DRA) during normal operations, could reduce the incidence of unexpected failures by supporting targeted, predictive maintenance interventions.
This project evaluated the performance and safety implications of using DRA on the GB rail network.
RSSB reviewed the available condition monitoring technologies for the detection of axle bearing defects, including DRA systems, to inform their rollout and use across the network for maximum effect and efficiency.
During the course ofthis research, RSSB:
- determined a range of possible use cases for DRA on the network
- performed a cost-benefit analysis of the most feasible use cases
- created clear recommendations for industry on deploying DRA network-wide
The research concluded that using a track-side system offered the greatest value for money.
If DRA is used throughout the network, the benefit to vehicle maintainers will be £53.6M. However, use of DRA could also incur a £12.4M deficit by infrastructure managers, so the right funding model needs to be used.
These benefits derive from the optimisation of bearing maintenance and a subsequent reduction in network disruption from fewer undetected in-service bearing failures. By taking intermittent measurements over time, DRA systems can detect defects without causing significant safety risks, which provides maintenance and operational savings.
This technology can be readily adopted and used by the passenger vehicle maintenance sector as well as for freight.