Research project BRIK: development of an innovative method for determining the precise trajectory of a railway vehicle

Abstract

In the paper the essential assumptions regarding a research project implemented by a consortium of Gdansk University of Technology and Gdynia Maritime University are presented. The project has been commissioned by National Center of Research and Development with cooperation with Polish Railways (PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A.). The project is focused in implementation of modern measurement techniques using Global Navigation Positioning System GNSS, Inertial Navigation System INS and Mobile Laser Scanning MLS in a railway network management process. The precise aim of the research is both determine geometric parameters of a railway geometric layout as well as a railway vehicle movement trajectory. For this reason the innovative technique of mobile satellite measurements will be used. In the paper a synthetic description of the project together with the particular stages are presented. Also, a part of research which was realized in 2018 is shown. In the first stage, Gdansk University of Technology made a research of existing common methods for determining and assessing a track alignment, presented an idea of mobile investigation of track axis by the use of satellite measurements, took into consideration an issue of influence of dynamic behavior of the measurement vehicle on the accuracy of determined track positions by the use of GNSS/INS techniques and finally presented a technical project of measurement platform. Gdynia Maritime University made a query of GNSS/INS/MLS in measurements of track alignment, elaborated a scheme of measurement devices placement on the mobile measurement platform and studied possibilities of increasing accuracy for estimation a railway vehicle localization in relation to common techniques used by polish train operators.

Correction of determined coordinates of railway tracks in mobile satellite measurements

“…The main idea of the technique of mobile satellite measurements (MSM) [8,10,11,14], developed since 2009 by the Gdańsk University of Technology and the Naval Academy / Maritime University of Gdynia, is measuring railways with the use of GNSS antennas installed over the bogie pivots of a measuring wagon. The recorded satellite signals are analyzed and, on that basis, the existing railway centerline is calculated.…”

“…In [6], the integrated multi-sensory trolley (pushed by human force) has been presented, and the algorithm therein regards the integration of satellite and inertial signals (also with the signals of track irregularity). Compared to that study, the authors of presented article discuss the algorithms adopted to the mobile satellite measurement method (MSM) [14]. This means that the measurement is carried out at higher speeds in relation to the cited surveying method, and the measured (in RTK mode) positions need to be recalculated in order to obtain the position of the track axis.…”

Analysis of Moving Chord Inclination Angles when Determining Curvature of Track Axis

“…This situation was an inspiration to undertake research on the use of a new measurement technique, which was called the method of mobile satellite measurements [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. This technology has been developed in Poland for over 10 years and since 2018 it has been applied in the current research project BRIK [18][19], the aim of which is to obtain a practical solution for implementation.…”

Digital Filtering of Railway Track Coordinates in Mobile Multi–Receiver GNSS Measurements

“…In many countries, GNSS techniques are introduced to support determining of track coordinates; however, their use for accurate (in the global sense) mapping of track axis, especially in areas with varying access to satellites, is still a challenging issue [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. That is why the research project InnoSatTrack included an attempt to build a platform for multi–sensor track geometry measurement [ 35 ].…”