In total, 33.9 km of rails between Nyborg and Korsør station have been expertly milled by the specially equipped rail milling machine to make sure that the rails are kept free of small cracks, extending the lifespan of the rails and resulting in both climate and financial benefits.
Maintaining the railway network is a particularly resource-intensive task, and Sund & Bælt in collaboration with COWI, carried out a transversal analysis of the enormous quantities of data from the IRISSYS inspection system on the current condition of the rails and track. In combination with a targeted milling strategy, this can double the lifespan of the rails.
Specifically, the inspection system utilises analysis data to gain precise insight into the condition of the rail tracks. This makes it possible to prevent damage and avoid costly reinvestments in the rails.
“All in all, the rail milling went according to plan, and we are left with a good result. When we have more detailed insight into the condition of the rails, we can quickly identify and repair minor damage early in the process, before the condition of the rails requires costly replacements,” says Bjarne Jørgensen, Director of Technical Operations & Maintenance.
Depending on external conditions such as traffic load, a targeted milling strategy can achieve lifespans on rails of up to 60 years, corresponding to a doubling of the otherwise expected lifespan. If the service life is doubled, maintenance costs are reduced by several million Danish kroner annually, and the carbon footprint is significantly reduced, as well.
The next round of milling of the rail tracks on Sund & Bælt’s Øresund railway is scheduled for April 2023.
FACT BOX:
Example: Life extension with data-driven maintenance of 2 x 7 km railway track on the Storebælt link’s West Bridge:
- 120 tonnes of rails are installed for every km of rail track
- Savings through preventive maintenance strategy: DKK 16-17 million within 5-10 years
- Reduced CO2 emissions: approx. 1,900 tonnes over 5 – 10 years.