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Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614079195021312 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Perumal, Michael Savio |
| author2 | Nickerson, Brendon |
| author_browse | Nickerson, Brendon Perumal, Michael Savio |
| author_facet | Nickerson, Brendon Perumal, Michael Savio |
| author_sort | Perumal, Michael Savio |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135959 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:20.037Z |
| 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:10019.1/135959 Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models Perumal, Michael Savio Nickerson, Brendon Bekker, Anriette Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Perumal, M. S. 2026. Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/d30272b8-b6c3-4110-88f0-31cbd77f8b4f Railway condition monitoring is a fundamental aspect that influences operational safety, costs and efficiency. Wheel-rail contact forces, specifically vertical wheel-rail contact forces provide crucial information that can be further analysed and used by decision makers of railway operators to optimize planning and operation. Current methods of vertical force measurement involve onboard measurement systems, which are costly, or trackside measurements many of which cannot isolate contact forces to individual wheels. Few studies have demonstrated trackside load reconstruction methods capable of attributing forces to individual wheels. This research implements an inverse load reconstruction approach employed in bridge load monitoring applications. The forward model of the coupled track-train system is developed and validated using a two-dimensional multibody simulation. The inverse problem is formulated through a linear state-space model of the track and solved using Tikhonov regularization with various regularization matrices. Rail velocity and displacement responses are used as inputs to reconstruct contact loads. The method is evaluated through twelve case studies involving a 40 mm wheel flat, exploring different sensor configurations and regularization strategies for 2 loads. The framework accurately reconstructs individual wheel-rail contact forces with a 2.7 % RMSE and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.787 when using four rail-mounted velocity sensors and an identity regularization matrix. The case studies examined load reconstruction for two loads and was extended to four to demonstrate scalability. The results demonstrate the feasibility of trackside load reconstruction for per-wheel force estimation, laying the groundwork for integration into future railway asset-monitoring systems. Masters 2026-04-16T08:49:49Z 2026-04-16T08:49:49Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135959 en Stellenbosch University 118 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Perumal, Michael Savio Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models |
| title | Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models |
| title_full | Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models |
| title_fullStr | Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models |
| title_short | Wheel-rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models |
| title_sort | wheel rail contact force reconstruction using trackside measurements and inverse models |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135959 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT perumalmichaelsavio wheelrailcontactforcereconstructionusingtracksidemeasurementsandinversemodels |