Abstract
The safety and performance of railway operations rely heavily on the condition of the track geometry, making its assessment crucial for maintaining efficient and secure rail services. Track geometry failure is among the leading causes of train derailments. This research proposes the development of a novel Combined Track Quality and Safety Index (CTQSI) that serves as a comprehensive indicator of track condition severity. The index is designed to integrate both ride quality and safety aspects, addressing the limitations of existing Track Quality Indices (TQIs) that commonly fail to simultaneously consider these critical factors. By leveraging advanced data analysis and dynamic simulation techniques, this study aims to enhance the current methodologies in track geometry condition assessment. The CTQSI model effectively identifies track segments that, despite not always showing large defect amplitudes, exhibit dynamic behaviors indicative of potential safety risks due to their geometric characteristics.
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