3 October 2024
Digital Twin Revolutionizes Railway Maintenance
On October 2–3, Luleå Railway Research Center at Luleå University of Technology hosted the Railway Research Excellence Days at Clarion Hotel in Luleå. The event brought together 50 experts from the railway industry to discuss the latest innovations in research and development. Among the presentations was that of Amit Patwardhan, a PhD student in operation and maintenance engineering, who has developed a digital twin for railway catenary systems, an innovation that could transform how maintenance is carried out on Sweden’s 11,000 km of railway network.
The digital twin is based on data collected by sensors that capture detailed information about the catenary systems using LiDAR technology. Trafikverket has already gathered large amounts of data, and the researchers have created mathematical models of the wires that can be visualized in Virtual Reality (VR). With this technology, inspections can now be performed digitally, reducing the need to send personnel to the site.
In the next phase, digital twins will be able to integrate climate data, weather forecasts, and maintenance history, enabling predictions of where problems might occur. This will allow maintenance personnel to intervene before anything breaks down.
“With the digital twin, we can not only see the catenary system in real-time, but we can also predict future problems based on multiple data sources. It’s a major step forward for railway maintenance,” says Amit Patwardhan.
The event provided the industry experts with an opportunity to discuss this new technology and its potential to improve safety and efficiency in the railway sector. The researchers hope that this technology will soon become part of the standard maintenance process, leading to fewer disruptions and safer train journeys.
Contact
Amit Patwardhan
- Doctoral Student
- 0920-493871
- amit.patwardhan@ltu.se
- Amit Patwardhan
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