Data Analysis Techniques for GPR Used for Assessing Railroad Ballast in High Radio-Frequency Environment
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 4
Abstract
Railroad ballast supports heavy rail loading, prevents track deformation, and provides drainage of water from the track structure. However, over time, ballast is fouled by the breakdown of ballast aggregate and/or the infiltration of fines, which undermine the ballast functions and affect the railroad track structural capacity. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) provides a rapid, effective, and continuous way to assess railroad track substructure condition; especially ballast. However, the GPR system faces some challenges during field surveys including high radio-frequency interference from railroad communication and automation, and strong reflections from rails. In this study, appropriate techniques were used to remove the interference and reduce the strong clutter from rails to obtain clear GPR data of railroad substructure. A time-frequency method, short-time Fourier transform, was then applied to extract ballast fouling condition over depth. A field survey using multiple sets of 2-GHz air-horn antennae was conducted during summer 2007 at the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. in Pueblo, Colo. Compared to ground-truth excavation and ballast gradation analysis results, GPR was found to be an effective technique to assess railroad track ballast substructure condition.
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Acknowledgments
The writers gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the staff at the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. during the data collection and cross trenching. The help provided by Douglas L. Jones, Erol Tutumluer, Chris Barkan, and Jeff Boyle is greatly appreciated. This research was partially funded by Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Project No. UNSPECIFIEDDTFR53-05-D-00200. The writers also appreciate the funds provided by American Association of Railroads (AAR) to conduct part of the analysis. The contents of this paper reflect the view of the writers, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the FRA and/or AAR. Trademark or manufacturers’ names appear in this paper only because they are considered essential to the object of this paper and do not constitute an endorsement of product by the FRA and/or AAR. This paper does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 4 • April 2010
Pages: 392 - 399
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 3, 2008
Accepted: Jul 29, 2009
Published online: Mar 15, 2010
Published in print: Apr 2010
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