Extension of the existing simulation methods by increasing the modeling depth and intensive consideration of the interaction between sleeper and ballast.

Acquisition of measurement sensors, measurement amplifiers, laboratory measurement technology and measurement peripherals.

The aim of this project is to develop a scientific approach to find: - The influence and determination of the angularity/interlocking of the ballast grains to determine the limit values for recycled ballast in new layers and/or maintenance measures - Approaches for the possible adaptation of the test methods on maintenance vehicles - The influence of ballast bed contamination on roughness

With the target network 2025+, the Austrian Federal Railways, together with the State of Austria, are making a clear commitment in the fight against the climate crisis in the overall transport plan. However, the basis for this is an efficient infrastructure. A massive increase in train kilometres in the coming years requires at the same time a low-maintenance infrastructure that can cope with the increasing loads. In order for trains to run, today's signalling system needs block sections that are monitored by track circuits, e.g. to generate track occupancy messages from vehicles on the track. These block sections are separated from neighbouring sections by insulating joints, which allows for finer subdivision. The Austrian Federal Railways currently have around 33,000 of these insulating joints installed in their track network. The service life of the insulated joints in Class A tracks is currently around 8 to 12 years, in places only one to two years, depending on the local load. Despite the half-yearly inspection intervals, they are very susceptible to faults and are one of the main causes of delays, accounting for 42 % of all track faults (excluding points). There are various approaches to improve the susceptibility of insulated joints to faults, but so far there is no systematic overall approach. The aim of this project is to develop a systematic approach ranging from the design of the joints, taking into account the local permanent way, to the alignment parameters and the structural design of the insulated joints. The main objective of the project is to develop sustainable isolated joint systems through new designs and/or materials in order to increase the availability of the infrastructure. The project aims to increase the availability of the infrastructure through new designs and/or materials by reducing disruptions, thus contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions by extending the service life and to the reduction of noise emissions by improving quality.

The aim of the service is the scientifically substantiated verification of the validity of the the cross-track displacement limit value according to Prud'homme for the roadworthiness approval of rail vehicles rail vehicles, in particular for curves with radii of less than 250m ('test area 5'). With theoretical and experimental proofs, the limit value is compared with the state of the state of the art in track design and maintenance, and its validity is verified. verified. A modification of this limit value corresponding to today's limit value is being developed.

In order to counteract climate change, among other things, the company is aiming to double rail capacity by 2040. The basis for this is a more efficient infrastructure. In order to make this infrastructure more resistant and at the same time less maintenance intensive, a basic physical understanding of the interaction of wheel-rail forces and their load transfer is necessary. In particular, complex systems (switches, transition areas, etc.) must also be analysed in detail. This knowledge is best acquired through a combination of analytical procedures, simulations, tests in the track and laboratory. The facilities for simulations and (field) measurements are already available, however a laboratory for investigating the forces arising from wheel-rail contact and their derivation in the superstructure and substructure does not currently exist. The laboratory test rigs planned at Graz University of Technology are intended to close this gap and create a further unique selling point in railroad engineering for Austria as a center of science. This is to be achieved by the realization of the variable superstructure test bench. In this test rig, quasi-static loading situations due to multi-axial stress conditions and wheelset impacts can be simulated on adjustable superstructure and substructure conditions combined with definable environmental influences. The aim of the laboratory is to create a link between the calculation/simulation, and the approval tests of the products as well as their long-term behaviour in the installed system-condition. Furthermore, possibilities for cost-effective, reproducible, scientific measurements are to be created, in order to, among other things, systematically deepen basic knowledge, to examine individual components and to carry out iterations in product development quickly under constant conditions. In addition, the graduates of Graz University of Technology gain in-depth practical knowledge through laboratory projects and final theses.

The project is part of a Comet-project, with the vision of a fully digitalized, highly performed and extremely resilient Railway system. In this project method development for quantifying the overall structural time-dependent behaviour in respect to its long-term serviceability will be investigated. This requires hybrid models for large-scale simulations based on historic and current load data of a particular assed, as basis for predictive maintenance.

Measurements and simulation will be used to record the influence of vehicle-induced rail stresses under different wear conditions and to re-evaluate their influences on the wear limit dimensions.