Proposal for Unsupported Sleeper Detection Method and Utilization in Track Maintenance

Unsupported sleepers on a ballasted track would bring about rapid track subsidence and decrease the safety margin for lateral stability of the track. However, to date no high-precision method for detecting unsupported sleepers on railway tracks has been proposed, and the actual distribution of unsupported sleepers along the track is unknown. Therefore, we developed a new high-precision detection method for unsupported sleepers, and confirmed its effectiveness by using actual data of sleeper distribution on commercial lines. Finally, we applied the method to develop a system for detecting unsupported sleepers on actual tracks by using measured track irregularity data, which can be useful for railway operators in order to improve track conditions.