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UAV-based track bed inspection and monitoring
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613928617410560 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | van Tonder, Francois Johann |
| author2 | Croukamp, Leon |
| author_browse | Croukamp, Leon van Tonder, Francois Johann |
| author_facet | Croukamp, Leon van Tonder, Francois Johann |
| author_sort | van Tonder, Francois Johann |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126986 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:54.909Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126986 UAV-based track bed inspection and monitoring van Tonder, Francois Johann Croukamp, Leon Conradie, Pieter Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering. Transportation engineering Railroads Drone aircraft Geotechnical engineering Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Transportation is a fundamental pillar of economic activities in a country. Therefore, it is important to ensure that transport systems are functional, reliable, and e_cient. Passenger rail is growing in demand due to population growth, congested roads, and the need for sustainable transportation. Railway maintenance plays an essential role in keeping the railway infrastructure safe, reliable and e_cient. To keep up with the growing demand for rail transportation, new technologies and techniques must be implemented to improve maintenance activities. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are widely used in industries such as oil and gas, construction, mining, and agriculture to improve project e_ciency, cost savings, and safety. However, research on the use of UAVs for inspection and monitoring of railway infrastructure is still emerging. The purpose of this research is to determine whether UAVs are a viable solution for inspection and monitoring of rail trackbeds. This research is based on a mixed-method approach. An in-depth review of the literature covers the components of the railway infrastructure and their respective failure types, the UAV industry as a whole, and _nally, current use of UAVs in the railway industry. On the basis of the review of literature, a UAV-based trackbed inspection and monitoring framework was created. To justify the practicality of the framework, it was tested in a case study. The case study was conducted in two sections of the railway in the Western Cape of South Africa. Part one was done on the PRASA line between Stellenbosch Station and Du Toit Station in Stellenbosch. Part two was done on a TRANSNET line passing through Sir Lowry's Pas. To perform weekly, monthly and specialised inspections a multi-rotor drone was used. To process the data for monthly inspections, Pix4Dmapper and Pix4Dcloud Advanced were used. The results of each weekly and monthly inspection were exported to an Excel workbook and summarized. The specialised inspection required further rock fall analysis in Rocscience RocFall 3. Key _ndings of the UAV-based trackbed inspection and monitoring framework from the case study include the following. Minimized on-site time, increased safety, streamlined workow, and repeated models for track-bed monitoring. In addition, it was found that this method provides an e_cient solution for increasing the frequency of track-bed inspections, provides rapid results after adverse weather events, and helps identify geotechnical risks from the surrounding environment. It is recommended that this research continue on a larger scale, using up-to-date technology such as infrared cameras and UAV-based LiDAR, and incorporating other infrastructure components into the framework. However, the _nal conclusion of the study is that a UAV-based method has enormous potential to increase railway trackbed safety and reliability, while simultaneously improving the safety of inspection personnel. AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Vervoer is n fundamentele pilaar van n land se ekonomiese aktiwiteit. Daarom is dit belangrik om te verseker dat vervoerstelsels funksioneel, betoubaar en doeltre_end is. Passasierspoor neem toe in aanvraag as gevolg van bevolkingsgroei, oorbelaste paaie en die behoefte aan volhoubare vervoer. Spoorwegsinstandhouding speel n noodsaklike rol om spoorweginfrastruktuur veilig, betroubaar en doeltre_end te hou. Om tred te hou met die groeiende vraag van spoorvervoer, moet nuwe tegnologiee en tegnieke geimplimenteer word om instandhoudingsaktiwiteite te verbeter. Onbemande lugvoertuie (OLVs) word wyd gebruik in nywerhede soos olie en gas, konstruksie, mynbou en lanbou om projekdoeltre_enheid, kostebesparing en veiligheid te verbeter. Navorsing rakende OLV-gebruik vir spoorweginfrastruktuurinspeksie en moitering kom egter steeds na vore. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om vas te stel of OLVs n lewensvatbare oplossing vir spoorwegspoorbebedinspeksie en monitering is. Hierdie navorsing is gebaseer op n gemengde metode benadering. n In-diepte literatuuroorsig dek spoorweginfrastruktuurkomponente en hul onderskeie mislukkingstipes, die OLV-nywerheid as geheel, en laastens huidige OLV-gebruik in die spoorwegbedryf. Gebaseer op die oorsig van litratuur, is n OLV-gebaseerde spoorbed-inspeksie- en moniteringsraamwerk geskep. Om die praktiese toepassing van die raamwerk te regverdig, is dit in n gevallestudie getoets. Die gevallestudie is op twee dele van die spoorwee in die Wes-Kaap van Suid Afrika uitgevoer. Deel een is gedoen op die PRASA-lyn tussen Stellenbosch-stasie en Du Toit-stasie, in Stellenbosch. Deel twee is gedoen op n TRANSNET-lyn wat deur Sir Lowry's Pas gaan. Om weeklikse, maandelikse en gespesialiseerde inspeksies uit te voer is n multi-rotor hommeltuig gebruik. Om die data vir die maandelikse nspeksies te verwerk, word Pix4Dmapper en Pix4Dcloud Advanced gebruik. Die resultate van elke weeklikse en maandelikse inspeksie is in n Excel-werkboek uitgevoer en opgesom. Die gespesialiseerde inspeksie het verdere rotsvalontleding in Rocscience RocFall 3 vereis. Sleutelbevindinge van die OLV-gebaseerde spoorbed-inspeksie- en moniteringsraamwerk uit die gevallestudie sluit in: Minimale tyd op die terrein, verhoogde veiligheid, 'n vaartbelynde werkvloei en herhaalde modelle vir spoorbedmonitering. Verder is gevind dat hierdie metode 'n doeltre_ende oplossing bied vir die verhoging van die frekwensie van spoorbed-inspeksies, vinnige resultate lewer na ongunstige weersomstandighede, en help met die identi_sering van geotegniese risiko's van die omliggende omgewing. Dit word aanbeveel dat hierdie navorsing op 'n groter skaal voortgaan, deur opgedateerde tegnologie soos infrarooi kameras en OLV-gebaseerde LiDAR te gebruik, en ander infrastruktuurkomponente in die raamwerk in te sluit. Die _nale gevolgtrekking van die studie is egter dat 'n OLV-gebaseerde metode enorme potensiaal het om spoorwegspoorbedveiligheid en betroubaarheid te verhoog, terwyl dit terselfdertyd inspeksiepersoneelveiligheid verbeter. Masters 2023-02-24T03:46:59Z 2023-05-18T06:58:51Z 2023-02-24T03:46:59Z 2023-05-18T06:58:51Z 23-01 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126986 en_ZA en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvi, 140 pages : illustrations. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Transportation engineering Railroads Drone aircraft Geotechnical engineering van Tonder, Francois Johann UAV-based track bed inspection and monitoring |
| title | UAV-based track bed inspection and monitoring |
| title_full | UAV-based track bed inspection and monitoring |
| title_fullStr | UAV-based track bed inspection and monitoring |
| title_full_unstemmed | UAV-based track bed inspection and monitoring |
| title_short | UAV-based track bed inspection and monitoring |
| title_sort | uav based track bed inspection and monitoring |
| topic | Transportation engineering Railroads Drone aircraft Geotechnical engineering |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126986 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vantonderfrancoisjohann uavbasedtrackbedinspectionandmonitoring |