Detection of corrugation and wheelflats of railway wheels using energy and cepstrum analysis of rail acceleration

Rolling stock and track damage due to localized (wheelflats) and global (corrugation) railway wheel tread defects is extremely serious, and several devices have been developed to detect these defects. An original experimental and numerical procedure for detection of wheel corrugation and wheelflats has been developed and validated; it processes rail acceleration signals collected by using combined energy and cepstrum analysis criteria. The use of cepstrum analysis proved to be particularly useful as it allows the discrimination of wheelflats independently from the presence of other defects, even when their effects are hidden in globally high acceleration levels due to heavy corrugation. A short survey of damage induced by wheelflats is presented; optimal measurement conditions and extensive examples are then detailed. The results are discussed with particular reference to the applicability of the technique developed to automated detection devices.