Recent publications
The objective of the present work was to determine the physico-mechanical and energy properties of pine (Pinus sylvestris) and beech (Fagus sylvatica) wood from railroad ties. The ties were divided into internal and external parts as well as into parts impregnated and unimpregnated with creosote oil. The effects of creosote impregnation on wood hardness, compressive strength parallel to the grain, static bending strength, and calorific value were studied. The obtained results show that the parameters of the analyzed samples meet the standard requirements (EN 338) for construction wood (compressive and bending strength class: C50—pine; D70—beech). Depending on the particular property being studied, both pine and beech samples belong to the highest or one of the highest wood quality classes. Creosote oil considerably increased wood density (by 9% for beech and 19% for pine) but did not affect its hardness. Creosote impregnation significantly improved the compressive strength parallel to the grain of both wood species (beech: σc=51.99 MPa (IN); σc=57.78 MPa (OUT); pine: σc=36.56 MPa (IN); σc=42.45 MPa (OUT)); in the case of static bending strength, its value was increased for beech wood (σg=106.13 MPa (IN); σg=113.18 MPa (OUT)) and reduced for pine wood (σg=66.34 MPa (IN); σg=82.62 MPa (OUT)). The oil contained in wood from ties significantly elevated its calorific value (by 25% for beech and 10% for pine). Unfortunately, the presence of creosote oil currently prevents wood from railroad ties from being reused as the oil is deemed hazardous and carcinogenic. However, if it were possible to isolate the unimpregnated parts of railroad ties, they could be reapplied for construction or other uses.
Rail is the most efficient and low carbon means of transport, but efforts are still being made to improve the energy efficiency of this sector. In Poland, one of the elements of the implementation of the energy transformation in rail is the “Green Railway” program, which assumes an increase in the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in the power supply structure of the sector to 50% in 2025 and 85% in 2030, and ultimately, to 100%. An increase in energy efficiency leads to a reduction in financial costs, and also contributes to improving the environment and, consequently, to enhancing the economic and social benefit through a cost–benefit analysis. Energy consumption in railway operations is characterized (unlike in construction) by being repetitive. This energy consumption is produced in four areas: in the movement of trains; in auxiliary systems in the trains; in auxiliary systems in the infrastructure (lighting consumption of tunnels or sections of track, point heating systems, the signaling and communication systems, etc.); and in stations, workshops and by other consumers. The aim of this article was to review modern technologies using renewable energy sources in rail transport for traction and non-traction customers.
Risk assessment in the design of control command and signaling devices (CCS) is one of the elements required by law. These analyses should be carried out at many stages of investment with the participation of various teams. This article presents a risk analysis method based on fuzzy sets, which can support and increase the safety of investment processes involving the railroad traffic control industry. The article analyzes hazards identified in CCS design. These risks were identified using a survey method based on a set of questions prepared by the authors and by conducting interviews among experts from design offices. As part of the survey, responses were obtained from 28 respondents who are specialists in the railway traffic control industry. Workshop meetings were held in six different design offices and at manufacturing plants of motion control systems. The identified risks were analyzed using the FMEA (failure mode and effect analysis) method and the fuzzy set method, as well as various methods of fuzzification and defuzzification. The results of all of the methods were compared with each other. The best solution from the analyzed ones was proposed.
The effectiveness of railway brakes strongly depends on their thermal condition. A computer simulation and experimental investigations on a full-scale dynamometric stand were chosen as an adequate analysis of the heat transfer process in brakes. The article introduces a two-dimensional, axisymmetric numerical model of the tested disc brake. Boundary conditions related to the heat generated in the friction brake and heat transferred to the environment are also presented. The transient heat transfer problem was solved using the in-house computer program of the finite element method. The article presents simulations and experimental investigations of the intensive braking of a train with an initial high speed. Temperature responses of the disc brake on the friction surface and at other selected points are shown. In addition, a thermal imaging camera was used to assess the temperature distribution on the friction surface of the disc. The results of experimental and simulation tests were preliminarily compared. Similar maximum temperature values were obtained at the end of braking with a particular discrepancy in temperature responses during the analyzed process.
In Horizon 2020, funding for research and innovation in the railway area was entirely channeled through the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking (Shift2Rail). Shift2Rail was founded in 2014 as a Public-Private Partnership between the European Union (EU) and the rail industry and aimed to coordinate and manage EU research and investment in the rail sector. From the current financial perspective - Horizon Europe - the successor to Shift2Rail, is Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail). The new rail partnership aims to enable the European rail network to play a vital role in the Green Deal policy for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient mobility. In 2017, the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) and PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe (PLK S.A.) established a Joint Undertaking, Research and Development of Railway Infrastructure, with the acronym BRIK. The program supports research and development (R&D) work in railway infrastructure and aims at increasing the Polish railway potential. The article provides a critical-cognitive analysis of selected joint R&D projects in the railway sector at both European and national levels. The activity of the Railway Research Institute (IK) in international and national projects is also presented. The article attempts to answer the research question: Are European and national programs supporting research in the railway area an appropriate and sufficient funding source? The research methods used included source material analysis, comparative approach, data analysis of the EU, Railway Research Institute, National Centre for Development Research (NCBR), and case study.
This is a research article whose main objective is to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activities of research institutes in Poland. The sources of the paper are the results of surveys conducted twice in 2020, on a selected sample of research institutes associated with the Main Council of Research Institutes. For the purposes of the article, surveys of the literature and available sources were made, and the method of analysis and synthesis was applied. The article closes with a summary containing the most important conclusions.
The proportion of high speed railway vehicles in the rolling stock of national carriers providing public transport services is constantly increasing. Currently, Alstom vehicles run at the highest speed on railway lines in Poland. The paper attempts to identify the acoustic signature of high speed railway vehicles. There are many works and studies aimed at identifying or defining the acoustic signature of high speed railway vehicles. However, the authors of these works carried out their research in a rather narrow scope, i.e. the measurement cross-section had only 1 or 2 measure-ment points with one microphone at each point. As part of the conducted experimental research, the location of testing grounds was determined, the measurement apparatus was selected and the methodology for carrying out measurements including the assessment of noise emission on curve and straight line were specified for electric multiple units. The object of the tests were railway vehicles of Alstom company, type ETR610, series ED250, the so-called Pendolino, moving on a selected measuring route without stops at a speed of 200 km/h. Measurements were carried out on the railway line no. 4 Grodzisk Mazowiecki – Zawiercie, section Grodzisk Mazowiecki - Idzikowice at kilometre 18+600 (curve) and 21+300 (straight section). When measuring the acoustic signals with a microphone array (4x2), 8 meas-urement microphones operating in the audible range were used. The microphones were placed at a distance of 5 m, 10 m, 20 m and 40 m from the track centre, at a height of 4 m (from the rail head) and at the rail head (approx. 0.8 m from the ground surface). In addition, an acoustic camera with 112 directional microphones was used to locate the main noise sources, which was located at a distance of approximately 20 m from the track centreline. The identification of the main noise sources for high speed railway vehicles, basig on actual acoustic measurements, made it possible to isolate the dominant noise sources, as well as to find out the amplitude-frequency characteristics in the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, divided into one third octave bands.
This work is aimed at developing a stand for tuning the fuel system of an internal combustion engine based on two electromagnetic retarders connected to the driving wheels of a car to simulate a load, and a microprocessor-based torque control system for each brake. In accordance with the terms of reference from the specialists of the automotive service center, such a stand should provide two main modes of operation: (1) stabilization of the speed of the drive wheels in the entire range of loads (fuel supply); (2) engine acceleration and deceleration according to linear tachograms in the range from minimum to maximum speed to determine the dependence of engine power and torque on speed. The purpose of this research is the synthesis of controllers, testing, the choice of the structural scheme, and the parameters of the control and data processing system in the stand for the precision tuning of internal combustion engines. Based on a preliminary analysis of the system, taking into account the mechanical connection of the wheels through the main gear and the car differential, the nonlinear dependence of the electromagnetic torque on the current and retarder speed, and subsequent experimental results, we obtained two types of controller—a third-order aperiodic transfer function and a fractional aperiodic transfer function of order 1.6. This made it possible to synthesize a family of controllers that ensure the operation of the stand in the required modes: synchronization of wheel speeds during engine acceleration; stabilization of the reference speed when the engine torque is changed from minimum to maximum due to fuel supply; measurement of the maximum power and torque of the internal combustion engine during the formation of a triangular tachogram with a given acceleration to compensate for the dynamic component of the torque due to mechanical inertia. The system with the PID controller configured in MATLAB in the “Tune” package has the best performance, but the smallest overshoot and the best dynamic accuracy are ensured by the PIDIγIµ fractional–integral controller, where the system is characterized by a fractional order of astaticism 1.6. Such a controller for each electromagnetic retarder serves as the basis of the microprocessor-based control, data acquisition, processing, graphical display system, and will also be used to develop a similar bench for tuning four-wheel-drive vehicles.
The article presents the results of ageing tests with the use of laboratory light radiation tested according to the EN ISO 16474-2 standard for painting systems used in rolling stock. The influence of aging on such properties as gloss, colour and
hardness, was determined using two different irradiance settings of the order of 60 W/m2 and 120 W/m2 for the wavelength 300÷400 nm and the same levels of radiant exposure. In addition, this study describes the most important information about laboratory aging tests with simulation of sunlight, temperature, moisture including rain, which are included in ISO standardised test methods. The influence of weather parameters has been described, in particular the influence of an increased dose of irradiance on the degradation of selected physicochemical properties of coatings and the possibility of the predicted ageing progress (changes in selected properties). The obtained results of laboratory tests allow to make certain assumptions regarding the increase of the dose of irradiance and thus the shortening of the laboratory testing time in the context of the assessment of the most desirable properties of the coating for a given application with the use of laboratory ageing tests.
The article reviews issues associated with the use of electronic fire alarm systems (FAS). They are operated in various environments and buildings with varying volumes. FAS have to function properly under different operating conditions associated with their operation, as well as power supply and information inflow. Due to their functions, i.e., ensuring the safety of people, vehicles, logistics bases, airports, etc., FAS have to exhibit an appropriately organized reliability structure associated with their implementation and power supply. Operational studies involving FAS operated in various facilities were conducted to this end. The authors determined damage and recovery time intensities. FAS reliability indicators were also determined. The article presents graphs associated with developing the energy balance for selected FAS. The graphs are consistent with the latest and applicable legal regulations. The next stage of the work related to this article was developing an FAS operation process model and conducting computer simulations in order to determine reliability indicators. Such an approach to the FAS operation process enables a rational selection of technical and organizational solutions aimed at guaranteeing reliability in the course of executing operational tasks associated with ensuring fire safety. FAS operational analysis, developing balance graphs and models, as well as the computer simulation, enabled inferring conclusions that might be useful to the process of engineering and operating such systems.
The article addresses the very important issue of enriching the products with additives improving the fire resistance properties. For this purpose, hydroxide additives (aluminium and magnesium) were used, which decompose at increased temperature to form water. When designing the experiments, one of the Experimental Design Methods (DOE) was used: 2k factorial design for two independent variables. The enriched coatings were tested in accordance with the requirements of PN-EN 45545-2, incl. Intensity of heat release, lateral propagation of flame on products in vertical configuration, or testing of generated fumes and gases. Mechanical properties such as cohesion and impact toughness were also tested. The effectiveness of this type of additives was assessed, as well as their synergistic effect (due to the different decomposition temperature).
The article is devoted to issues related to the projects of construction of new high-speed rail (HSR) lines in Poland. The country, just like several other in Central and Eastern Europe, was going through a socioeconomic transformation period after 1990 and in its first phases, it had no conditions for construction of new HSR lines, but already in mid-1990s it reported aspirations for a further time perspective for modernisation of its own rail network by building new HSR lines. In years 2005–2008, the most mature and feasible project involving construction of new HSR line Warsaw – Łódź – Poznań/Wrocław (the Y HSR line for short) and modernisation of the Central Rail Line (CRL) was prepared and started. The project was the main subject of this article although its implementation was suspended in 2011 for a variety of reasons. In parallel to the initiative of the Baltic Countries of 2008, an international project for new HSR line Rail Baltica was born as a desire to build a new normal-track line connecting Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas, through Białystok and Warsaw, with Berlin, which Poland applied for, which is also discussed in the article. In 2017, there was a substantial change in Poland regarding the HSR construction projects as part of a new concept for construction of a Solidarity Transport Hub (STH) near Warsaw. The concept did not enter the implementation phase by the end of 2021 and its basic principles and the critical remarks addressed to it have been presented in this article. However, the substantial part of this article was devoted to the discussion of the expected transport effects of the construction of HSR line Warszawa – Łódź – Poznań/Wrocław and the modernisation of the Central Rail Line as well as the potential socioeconomic effects that may arise in connection with its implementation, still treating it as the core project for changing the arrangement of the Polish rail network.
The article presents a method for assessing the impact of radiated electromagnetic interference generated by a selected rail traction unit on the operational process of trackside video monitoring systems (VMS). VMSs operated throughout an extensive railway area are responsible for the safety of people and property transport processes. Emissions of radiated electromagnetic interference generated in an unintended manner by traction vehicles within a railway line lead to interference in the VMS operating process. Based on the knowledge of actual VMS operating process data, spectral characteristics and values of individual components of disturbing signals occurring in the emissions of radiated electromagnetic interference, it is possible to determine the parameters of damage intensities for the devices and elements of this system. Using that data enables determining the VMS reliability parameters within its operating system, for an extensive railway area. The article’s authors first discussed the basic issues associated with VMS, followed by analysing the topic’s current status. They also presented issues related to measuring interference radiated within a rail area, developed a selected operational process model, and determined selected operational indicators for the structures in question. The paper ends with conclusions.
The problems of storage and supplying the energy, together with reducing energy intensity for transport, are now crucial for developing sustainable and reliable transport systems. The energy network must be gradually adapted to new loads and power consumption patterns, especially in railways. The article aims to develop the simulation model to investigate the energy storage systems in its use in the electric transport infrastructure. The authors review selected technical solutions for electric energy storage in transport. The theoretical aspects of energy exchange in the energy storage systems were presented as a base for a continuous simulation model of electric transport power supply. In the non-periodic random voltage input applied to the storage unit, it is pro-posed to use the calculation method based on the Duamel integral to analyze its charge-discharge processes. The resistance functions were applied to analyze the traction power supply mode with variable in time and space by active loads. The simulation showed that the direct connection of the unit to the traction network significantly reduces the traction energy consumption.
This article presents the results of analyses of energy efficiency and environmental outcomes of putting into operation high-speed trains ¬– first of that kind in Poland in 2014 on upgraded 3 kV DC lines. Comparative analyses of these trains in Poland have not been carried out so far and provide a new approach to assessing the feasibility of their adoption and, in a broader context, the advisability of replacing conventional with high-speed rail transport. The analysis supports the advantages of high-speed railway (HSR) and the need to develop a network of high-speed con-nections using energy-efficient trains in Poland. Putting these trains into service reduced CO2 emissions, which is significant in Poland as a country relying heavily on power generated in coal power plants and complies with the assumptions of the sustainable development policies and EU Green Deal. The outcomes of our analysis can be used for transportation planning to mitigate climate change and the presented approach provides a method of quantification of environmental impacts of HS trains.
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