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Design, implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser-based railway wheel wear monitoring system
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613914496237568 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Phillips, Anique Kim |
| author2 | Bekker, Annie |
| author_browse | Bekker, Annie Phillips, Anique Kim |
| author_facet | Bekker, Annie Phillips, Anique Kim |
| author_sort | Phillips, Anique Kim |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134773 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:43.080Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134773 Design, implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser-based railway wheel wear monitoring system Phillips, Anique Kim Bekker, Annie Schreve, Kristiaan Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Railroad engineering Machinery -- Monitoring Mechanical wear Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Phillips, A. K. 2025. Design, Implementation and Evaluation of a Wayside Laser-Based Railway Wheel Wear Monitoring System. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/6e8b52b7-229b-439d-89af-11402e3594ce ENGLISH ABTRACT: This research presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a dynamic, wayside rail wheel measurement system capable of capturing two-dimensional wheel profiles of passing trainsets in near real-time. Existing wheel inspection methods, within South Africa, such as manual gauges and handheld profilers, are labour-intensive, operator-dependent, and limited to stationary vehicles. To address these limitations, a portable, rail-mounted system was developed to enable timely and fully automated measurements of wheel profiles during trainset passage. The system architecture comprises three high-precision two-dimensional laser profile scanners and a one-dimensional displacement sensor mounted on a vibrationoptimised clamping rig engineered to achieve a transmissibility ratio close to unity. Orientation data for laser compensation and diameter estimation are supplied by three inclinometers, while a modular MATLAB software framework, developed in an object-oriented structure, manages data acquisition and analysis. The processing pipeline incorporates Iterative Closest Point alignment for profile registration, feature-based extraction of wear parameters, and a multi-point circle fitting approach for diameter estimation. Laboratory validation on a wheel-rail rig supported the iterative refinement of both hardware and algorithms before field testing at the Metrorail Rolling Stock Infrastructure depot. Field tests at an operating speed of 3 km/h demonstrated that valid profiles were obtained for up to 87.5% of wheels under stable alignment conditions. Flange height, flange thickness, and flange angle were measured with accuracies suitable for trend monitoring, although proportional errors in flange thickness and diameter limited direct comparability with industry reference devices such as the MiniProf and Calipri. Repeatability analyses confirmed reliable measurements across consecutive runs, while observed performance degradation in later tests highlighted the influence of vibration and alignment drift. The results demonstrate that the proposed system reduces inspection time and operator dependency while enabling near real-time assessments of wheel wear. Its current configuration is most suitable as a supplementary monitoring tool to support maintenance planning and wear trend analysis. With further enhancements in the mechanical stability and improved robustness of diameter estimation, the system has the potential to evolve into a primary inspection platform for depot-based railway maintenance. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2026-01-07T09:52:28Z 2026-01-07T09:52:28Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134773 Stellenbosch University xv, 124 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Railroad engineering Machinery -- Monitoring Mechanical wear Phillips, Anique Kim Design, implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser-based railway wheel wear monitoring system |
| title | Design, implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser-based railway wheel wear monitoring system |
| title_full | Design, implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser-based railway wheel wear monitoring system |
| title_fullStr | Design, implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser-based railway wheel wear monitoring system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design, implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser-based railway wheel wear monitoring system |
| title_short | Design, implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser-based railway wheel wear monitoring system |
| title_sort | design implementation and evaluation of a wayside laser based railway wheel wear monitoring system |
| topic | Railroad engineering Machinery -- Monitoring Mechanical wear |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134773 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT phillipsaniquekim designimplementationandevaluationofawaysidelaserbasedrailwaywheelwearmonitoringsystem |