European Rail Research Advisory Council

Transcription

1 MARKET IMPACT EVALUATION ERRAC was set up in 2001 and is the single European body with the competence and capability to help revitalise the European rail sector : To make it more competitive To foster increased innovation To guide research efforts at the European level ERRAC Project Evaluation Working Group (EWG) Objectives: Determine the market impact of previous rail research to improve use of research funding Ensure a strategic approach to the prioritisation of rail research Project Evaluation Individual projects are evaluated after they have been completed to ensure successful dissemination of project results To ensure that the results of previous rail research can be taken into account for future projects To avoid weak market uptake of results by learning the lessons of previous research The EWG will provide intelligence based on the project evaluations for input into future European Framework Programmes

2 ERRAC Project Evaluation Group INFRASTAR EVALUATION FROM JULY 2008 Project acronym: INFRASTAR FP: 5 Programme acronym: GROWTH Project Reference: GRD Call identifier: FP5 - Greening of surface transport Total Cost: 1,783,811 EU Contribution: 1,075,299 Timescale: May October 2003 Project Coordinator: Peter Van Klingeren AEA Technology Rail BV (NE) Web references: =acro.document&ac_lang=en&ac_rcn= &pid=0&q=c33a00b393d16f70f1e04e441cd4f081&type=sim Presented by: M. Robinson Date evaluation: Market uptake: Weak Follow up projects: None Other related Projects: None 2

3 Evaluation of project INFRASTAR Dr David Fletcher NewRail Centre for Railway Research University of Newcastle, UK 18 th July 2008

4 Background European Rail Research Advisory Council INFRASTAR Improving railway infrastructure productivity by sustainable twomaterial rail development Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) is a major limitation on railway infrastructure productivity, causeing surface and sub-surface cracks particularly in curves High noise emission levels through Stick-Slip phenomena at the rail-wheel contact is a local environment problem caused by rail transport For RCF and noise problems INFRA-STAR focused on improvements through applying an additional surface layer material at the top of the rail head, resulting in two-material rail.

5 Innovative aspects European Rail Research Advisory Council INFRASTAR Improving railway infrastructure productivity by sustainable two-material rail development The major project innovation is the development of a two-material rail for prevention of RCF and Stick Slip phenomena which leads to noise Objectives Development of a RCF model and a dynamic train/track interaction model to predict two-material rail behaviour Development of complementary surface layer application methods Determination of material surface properties and behaviour by experiments and field tests.

6 INFRASTAR Improving railway infrastructure productivity by sustainable two-material rail development Workplan The project objectives were realised in 4 phases: 1. The inventory phase, includes input data collection and state of the art and state of the future research. 2. The material research phase, includes RCF modelling, dynamic train/track modelling and metallographic research (including lab tests). 3. The material application development phase, includes the developments of the laser cladding and rolling application process. 4. Field-testing at two test sites in Europe.

7 INFRASTAR - Final technical results A railhead with an additional surface layer (the INFRA-STAR two-material rail) which prevents rolling contact fatigue and reduces noise emissions in narrow radius curved rail. Application technologies for processing two-material rail. Modelling techniques for rolling contact fatigue and stick slip.

8 INFRASTAR partners & contract Partners Banverket, Sweden RATP, France AEA Technology Rail, Netherlands Chalmers University, Sweden Sheffield University, UK Duroc, Sweden Corus, France Contract details FP5 Programme Acronym: GROWTH Project Reference: G3RD-CT Contract Type: Cost-sharing contracts Start Date: End Date: Duration: 42 months Coordinator: Peter Van Klingeren, AEA Technology Rail, Netherlands Partners interviewed Martin Hiensch - Deltarail Olof Nilsson - Duroc Daniel Boulanger - Corus Per-Olof Larsson - Banverket Didier Levy - RATP Sandrine Bondeux - RATP Jens.Nielsen - Chalmers Lennart Josefson - Chalmers Jonas Ringsberg Chalmers Ajay Kapoor Sheffield University, now at Swinburne University, Australia Francis Franklin Sheffield University, now at Newcastle University

9 INFRASTAR - Questionnaire responses Were results from Infra-Star implemented in the design of the new products and services? Yes, for the Duroc coated rail approach No, for the Corus rolled product approach If yes, were these new products/services put into commercial operation? No (not yet). Anti-squeal testing is due to start in the Netherlands Are the results of the project implemented across Europe or only in a small number of Member States? Small number, although the results have been communicated worldwide at seminars, conferences and published journal articles Are the results of the project implemented outside Europe? If so, was this before being accepted in Europe? No, but enquires have been received from India, Vienna, Hong Kong and Sydney

10 INFRASTAR - Questionnaire responses Did the projects increase competitiveness of the European railway sector abroad with regard to products, services, standards and system design? Yes Europe seen as leading world on this technology, with enquiries and research methodology interest No - It s not commercially implemented yet Did the project increase competitiveness or environmental performance of railway transportation compared to other transport modes? No Corus treatment not been implemented. New steel types now offer protection from RCF without a coating has lower cost and greater reliability than a surface coating approach. Yes - Duroc coated rails are the basis of a solution to noise problems and meeting noise legislation.

11 INFRASTAR - Questionnaire responses Are the results of the project or products developed taken into consideration when preparing public tenders? No commercial products not available yet for passenger rail sector. Too early - testing still under way Has the implementation of the project results helped reduce maintenance costs? Testing is still underway in the Netherlands, but it should reduce maintenance costs for noise reduction Swedish tests within the project indicated reduced maintenance costs, so reduced costs would be realised if it was implemented

12 INFRASTAR - Questionnaire responses Has implementation of the project results helped improve the environment through reduced noise? Tests for noise reduction start in the Netherlands next year Durooc coated rail will help free rail profile choice, so an optimal profile for noise reduction can be selected without excessive rail wear Can benefits be assessed in financial terms? Yes such a calculations was included in the project reports No, not yet - this cannot be judged without implementation

13 INFRASTAR - Questionnaire responses Will the results of the project remain applicable for the next years? Yes - problems continue to affect current steels, and the only solutions are to let problems continue, use INFRASTAR coatings, or different steels Yes - implementation could take 5-10 years after a decision is taken, and the current infrastructure will take years to be replaced. Will the research techniques developed in the project be useful for future projects? Yes - Research groups are asking about the modelling techniques. Yes - the project trained BV in running EU projects and they have take on more projects and field trials. Yes - modelling of vehicle dynamics and RCF/wear is widely applicable for selection of materials, profiles, wheel-rail interaction optimisation.

14 Coating performance European Rail Research Advisory Council INFRASTAR - Reasons for outcomes Corus approach was never produced, due to manufacturing difficulties. There was very poor elongation of the treatment at high temperature compared to steel Duroc approach was produced and showed very good results in lab tests and numerical modelling, and in full scale tests The Duroc coating approach had limited success due to Problems when manufacturing the coating in the field causing problems where the coating started and ended Insufficient evidence that the increased production cost could be justified by reduced maintenance costs Repair and maintenance of coated rails needed further investigation. An EU funding proposal for this was unsuccessful Introduction of new technology Long rail asset lives and long decision processes within the railway authorities have delayed implementation. There is reluctance to take the risk of trying a new product.

15 Market European Rail Research Advisory Council INFRASTAR - Lessons learnt During the project it became clear that the RCF prevention properties of the coated rail would be difficult to market because railway companies were investing heavily in grinding. The potential of its anti-squeal noise prevention however remained very high. The production cost for treated rails needs to be reduced Project organisation More resources were needed for the development of the specific manufacturing operations The number of persons working in the project was optimal for this project, and the collaboration worked well External influences Assistance from the EU Commission would have helped to keep the time to market short - even now there is still work to do The companies involved were small it was difficult to find funds and capacity. The project should have lobbied more to get the political support. There is now political support in the Netherlands and this has opened some doors.

16 Products European Rail Research Advisory Council INFRASTAR - Follow-ups INFRA-STAR was reported in local newspapers. An entrepreneur developed and patented a new rail concept with one fixed base and a cap that could be fitted on the rail head to be replaced after wear. This invention is called ReRail and the concept are tested in AAR/TTCI Pueblo Colorado USA. Further research/testing DeltaRail Netherlands will next year test Duroc coated rails for eliminating squeal noise in track. Laboratory testing has proven very good results. Development of a mobile treatment unit is now main focus, to start only when potential has been proven to the investors Maintenance and repair of the two-material rail has been studied outside the Infra- Star project group. (PiRail project was developed for this, but not funded) Publication The scientific understanding developed has been utilised in several other projects, including the new EU project Innotrack. Scientific results have been published, leading to enquiries.