Academics from four universities are collaborating in a five-year project to design a new type of rail track to cope with higher speeds and more frequent trains.

The £8.5 million Track to the Future programme involves experts from the universities of Southampton, Birmingham, Huddersfield and Nottingham.

More than £5 million comes from an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant with the remainder provided by industry and the universities.

Network Rail will steer the research and make use of the scientific discoveries, hoping to benefit from the development of low-maintenance, low-noise track.

Track is being used more intensively as the frequency and speed of trains increases while the time available for maintenance is falling.

There is also pressure to reduce cost and environmental impact, including noise and vibration. Climate change is also imposing pressures on old infrastructure, with major impact on exposed coastal railways and vulnerable earthworks.

Track to the Future aims to help infrastructure operators and owners develop low-maintenance, low-noise track to underpin the continued increase in train frequencies, speeds and operating hours.

“We are addressing these key challenges through state-of-the-art experimental and analytical techniques, and the integration of advanced behavioural models in the areas of geomechanics, track systems, vehicle dynamics, noise and vibration,” said Professor William Powrie of the University of Southampton.

“By extending our scientific knowledge and developing new analytical tools, we will make it possible for engineers to design railway track systems that give longer, more reliable service at much reduced cost.”

The aim is to consider new materials and to design smoother level crossings and points.

More information: t2f

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