Rail grinding is used to restore the track head profile and remove corrugations. Such grinding extends the rail life, improves the ride quality of trains, and reduces noise. It also eliminates small cracks that might otherwise propagate to become rail breaks. Furthermore, the improved rail surface reduces rolling resistance to train wheels, so there are energy-saving benefits.
However grinding is expensive and time-consuming, requiring extensive track access during ‘engineering hours’, the grinding process itself can create risks, different curvatures of track result in different wear patterns and rates, and there are single/multi-pass options for the grinding method that have different effects. In this organization, rail grinding had usually been done reactively, as a response to track inspections identifying defects, drivers reporting poor rides, or railway neighbors complaining of the noise. On average this was being encountered after about 30 MGT of traffic. By the time the deterioration has become so evident, the grinding also requires multiple passes to remove a significant amount of the railhead to eradicate the defects. A more proactive approach, removing the defects in earlier stages of development, can be achieved with fewer passes of the grinder. However, the grinding is currently a purchased service from a specialist contractor, with complex and costly logistics for mobilization and usage. So more frequent grinding would be expensive and difficult to organize.
The study sought to determine the optimal rail grinding strategy for 300m, 600m and 900m radius curved track sections. These represent very different wear rates, compounded by differential train loading (passenger numbers and train frequencies) on different sections of the lines. The current regime involves hire of the rail grinding machine and re-profiling 300m and 600m radius sections after 30 Million Gross Tons (MGT) of traffic running over them.
This case involved a small team comprising of maintenance and operations personnel, with some consultation to procurement and customer service departments. It needed just half a day to build the ‘base case’ scenario, including the potential risk patterns for the variety of failure modes, the various defect and failure costs and consequences, the grinding costs, and how these increase with the amount of damage that needs to be removed.
This was achieved using the SALVO Process storyboard for evaluating and optimizing preventive maintenance, and DST Maintenance Evaluator™ to model the risks and calculate the optimal life cycle strategy. The study, including testing for sensitivity to the many uncertain assumptions, revealed that the business case for changing the grinding intervals was robust. In fact, the analysis demonstrated that it was not even worthwhile to collect ’better’ data since the optimal timings were unaffected across the min/max extreme ranges of credible values for deterioration rates, failure risks, event consequences, etc. Finally, the SALVO Process decision-recording stage ensured the documentation of all assumptions, scenarios explored, uncertainties, sensitivity analysis, and implications for alternative strategies providing a clear audit trail for why this rail grinding strategy is optimal.
This study used DST Maintenance Evaluator™ software to perform the complex reliability, risk, and financial ’what if?’ calculations. This tool was developed as part of the international SALVO project to support the analysis and optimization of preventive maintenance strategies. Like other modules in the DST Asset Strategy Evaluator™ suite, the tool provides:
The study revealed the optimal strategy for proactive rail grinding should be both track radius and train loading-dependent. For 300m radius track the optimal time to regrind is every 9 MGT of traffic, for the 600m radii the optimum is 17 MGT and for the 900m radius track, the lower wear rates shift the optimum out to 25 MGT. This selective and optimized strategy makes £15-25k/section/year net savings in total costs, risks and performance impact. So the study revealed the optimal approach for a program of selective sectional grinding for each route. Combined with similar studies for other routes and track loading rates, the analysis also provided the business case for procuring an in-house grinding machine.
The Woodhouse Partnership would be delighted to show you how the SALVO process and Decision Support Tools™ can be implemented to benefit your business, contact us now for a free initial consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.
Mutual Energy has been recognised for effective asset management of critical infrastructure by achieving ISO 55001 certification.
This study was commissioned to ascertain the business case for re-tubing and to evaluate the life cycle cost benefits of alternative materials.
David Curtis, Director, Engineering Talent Management at Hydro One talks us through their experience with the Woodhouse Partnership and benefits of refining their asset management practices.
José Luis cuenta con una experiencia exitosa en multi-industrias públicas y privadas, donde desempeñó cargos gerenciales, líder de aplicación técnica especializada, puestos operativos y en mantenimiento, así como en áreas de consultoría sustentando nivel operativo, táctico y estratégico.
Ha formado parte de proyectos de mejoramiento de gestión de activos, confiabilidad operacional, integridad y mantenimiento en Latinoamérica en diferentes empresas creando valor al negocio con resultados técnicos y económicos importantes.
Facilitador e instructor acreditado en temas relacionados con la gestión de activos, mejores prácticas, metodologías de administración gerencial y técnicas especializadas.
Mechanical Engineer with 31 years of experience. Specialist in implementation processes of activities
associated with Asset Management under the ISO 55001 approach, Implementation of diagnostic
programs and audits of management systems, Specialist in applying reliability methodologies such as
Reliability-Centered Maintenance, risk-based inspection, Cause Analysis Root, Life Cycle Cost Analysis,
Condition Based Maintenance, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, Mechanical Integrity among others.
He has been an Equipment Mechanical Integrity Engineer, an experienced user of traditional NonDestructive Testing such as Ultrasound, Infrared Thermography, Superficial Techniques, Industrial
Radiography.
He has led and participated in countless applications in the field of reliability and condition monitoring,
with special emphasis on the generation and execution of policies and maintenance plans aimed at
achieving the “minimum total business impact” guaranteeing Safety, Hygiene and Environment
standards.
Over his 28 plus year span in the industrial sectors with working technical backgrounds in Project & Construction Management, Asset Operations and Maintenance Reliability Management, and being certified in various courses of study; Damien has gained the knowledge and experience and has had proven successes throughout his tenure in the Oil, Gas, Petro-Chemical and Construction sectors. Establishing his-self in the various sectors, Damien’s first experience and success started in the Construction Sector in estimating engineering. This was the stepping stone for Damien and has paved the way for his passion and continued success in supporting People, Process, and Systems in an organization.
Damien has held positions in local, international and multi-national corporations and comes from a working background in the fields of environmental, operations, project and construction management, operations maintenance and reliability management, planning, supervisory management, and has proven his abilities to succeed in each field.
Rich was an Engineer and Project Manager professional at the New York Power Authority for over 30-years. In addition to being the first Project Manager for the Niagara Project Upgrade, Rich rose to be the Vice President of Engineering having started in Operations Engineering decades earlier. Rich went on to be Vice President, Transmission and Substation at AECOM responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in design and construction. Rich joined Woodhouse Partnership, North America and participates in aligning organization towards ISO 55000 and many reliability studies supporting DST.
with
Our Asset Management Academy is pleased to announce 2023 dates for our Masterclass – the benchmark for personal development and competency recognition for Asset Management Professionals
Executive in Operational Excellence, Asset Management and Best Practices in Projects, Operations and Maintenance in the Energy and Industrial Sector.
Consultant, Instructor and International Lecturer on issues related to project management (risk management), operational reliability, strategic management of operations, maintenance, Asset Management in the energy sector (ISO 55001) and Applied Data Analytics.
PMP, CMRP, IAM and CAMA certifications, being recognized by the SMRP in 2019 as CMRP of the Year https://smrp.org/2019-CMRP-Winners.
George has over twenty-five years of experience as a consulting engineer providing design, planning, program and project management, and strategic asset management services for asset-intensive organizations in the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. His primary focus has been in the public infrastructure sector; as a result, he has intimate knowledge of the assets, processes, and resources necessary to deliver and sustain safe, reliable services to the customers of public asset-owning organizations.
George has assisted organizations with the development of PAS 55, ISO 55000, and GFMAM AM Landscape aligned asset management systems (AMS), has performed gap analyses of their AMS against industry standards and best practices, and has guided them through the creation of strategic asset management plans (SAMPs), asset management plans (AMPs), AM policy and supporting documents. He has undertaken asset risk modelling to ascertain organizations’ capability to sustain their desired levels of service. George has performed asset health-informed lifecycle cost modelling and forecasting capital and operational expenditures over near and long-term planning horizons.
With 30 years’ experience in utilities, oil & gas, transport and other sectors, John is one of the most widely known experts in integrated asset management projects for some of the largest companies in the world.
John is a Founder and Life Fellow of the IAM; he has written 4 books, chaired the development of BSI PAS55 and represents the UK on the ISO55000 committee.
He also led the international MACRO and SALVO collaboration projects in optimised asset management decision-making.
