EVALUATION OF UNIAXIAL STRAIN TRANSDUCER FOR RAILROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
2001
Subject Area
infrastructure - track, economics - appraisal/evaluation, mode - rail
Keywords
Uniaxial strain transducer, Tracks, Stress measurement, Strain measurement, Railroad tracks, Prototypes, Data reduction, Algorithms
Abstract
The uniaxial strain transducer (UAST) is a microelectromechanical system that features a high resolution, a high sampling rate, and absolute encoding. It needs no calibration and has no strain drift over time. Strains measured with a UAST were compared with those measured with a typical electrical resistance strain gauge. Some discrepancies between the two sets of measurements were observed in a bending test; however, there was a good correlation between the two measurements in tension and compression tests. Strains measured with the UAST under a cyclic load followed closely the haversine loading curves generated with a Materials Testing System testing machine. To obtain reasonably accurate strain measurements under moving trainloads, a 12-bit operational mode for the UAST with a resolution of 2.81 microstrain at 64 Hz for a loading cycle is recommended. This research project seeks to evaluate the potential for the development of a prototype hybrid UAST, which would incorporate strain data reduction algorithms into a UAST for railroad application by using existing UAST technologies.
Recommended Citation
Yun, H-B, Lee, H, Maclean, B. (2001). EVALUATION OF UNIAXIAL STRAIN TRANSDUCER FOR RAILROAD INFRASTRUCTURE. Transportation Research Record, Vol. 1742, p. 78-86.
