Research projects

Information on current and completed research and development projects as well as the Chair's expert profile can be found here: TU Dresden's Research Information System .

Selection of projects until 2021:

Stress and deformation behavior of railroad ballast
Client: GvB
Duration: ongoing since 2017
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The service life of railroad ballast is largely determined by tamping technology. The current European tamping technology based on tamping tines usually allows less than 10 tamping operations. Russian tamping wedge technology enables longer lifetimes, but its accuracy must be automated. Knowledge of the ballast behavior is of immanent importance for this.

Objectification of the condition assessment of rigid switch frogs
Client: Industry
Duration: ongoing since 2013
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The condition assessment of rigid switch frogs is still carried out on a subjective basis. The aim of the research project is to objectify the condition assessment on the basis of acceleration measurements of wheel or rail and thus to be able to better utilize the available maintenance reserves. To this end, the measurement data is analyzed and transferred to corresponding mechanical models.

Investigations on superstructure structures and materials
Client: Industry
Duration: ongoing since 2005
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The Chair of Planning and Design of Railway Infrastructure has been involved in the investigation and research of superstructure structures and materials for many years. Within the scope of this project, superstructure and switch constructions as well as individual construction parts are examined with regard to their design and optimization possibilities. The investigations are primarily based on laboratory experiments. The aim is to optimize the static strength and fatigue strength, material selection and shaping as well as the vibration behaviour for different requirement profiles and boundary conditions.

Investigations of wooden sleeper superstructures refurbished using the SERSA method
Client: Industry
Duration: 2015 - 2017
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The Sersa process (SLS) is a patented solution for the repair of screw and nail holes in wooden sleepers. As no standard or technical delivery condition for screw and nail hole repairs exists to date, the Chair of Planning and Design of Railway Infrastructure is developing appropriate tests to determine suitability for use and is applying these to hardwood sleeper specimens.