Fathi, Shadi, Mehravar, Moura and Rahman, Mujib (2024). A hybrid ANN-GA back-analysis technique for local anomaly detection in railway track substructure. Proceedings of the ICE - Transport ,
Abstract
The UK's ageing railway transportation network is increasingly at risk of substructure failure, often caused by malfunctioning buried drainage systems. These drainage issues lead to localised soil weaknesses in the substructure layers, which, if undetected, can result in costly maintenance interventions or, worse, catastrophic system failure. Regular non-destructive testing (NDT) assessments are essential for monitoring the condition of the substructure, yet current interpretation techniques for NDT data provide limited insight into the size, location, and even presence of weakened zones. This results in an incomplete understanding of the substructure's condition, impeding effective maintenance planning. This study proposes a novel hybrid back analysis technique to detect weakened zones in railway substructures caused by drainage malfunctions, addressing a critical gap in existing solutions. The method employs an artificial neural network (ANN) surrogate model, trained on virtual experimental data generated through finite element (FE) simulations, and couples it with a genetic algorithm (GA) to optimise the match between modelled and measured deflections. This novel method is computationally efficient, independent of seed modulus values, and thoroughly validated for accuracy. It delivers a precise understanding of soil weaknesses in railway substructures, transforming maintenance strategies by improving safety, reducing costs, and promoting infrastructure sustainability.
Publication DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1680/jtran.23.00066 |
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Divisions: | College of Engineering & Physical Sciences > School of Infrastructure and Sustainable Engineering > Engineering Systems and Supply Chain Management College of Engineering & Physical Sciences > School of Infrastructure and Sustainable Engineering > Civil Engineering College of Engineering & Physical Sciences Aston University (General) |
Additional Information: | This author's accepted manuscript is deposited under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC) licence. This means that anyone may distribute, adapt, and build upon the work for non-commercial purposes, subject to full attribution. If you wish to use this manuscript for commercial purposes, please contact permissions@emerald.com |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | UN SDG 11,UN SDG 9,back-Analysis technique,condition assessment,drainage malfunction,geotechnical engineering,ground failure,railway substructure,soil,Civil and Structural Engineering,Transportation |
Publication ISSN: | 0965-092X |
Last Modified: | 27 Mar 2025 08:11 |
Date Deposited: | 16 Dec 2024 15:51 |
Full Text Link: | |
Related URLs: |
https://www.ice ... /jtran.23.00066
(Publisher URL) http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL) |
PURE Output Type: | Article |
Published Date: | 2024-12-05 |
Published Online Date: | 2024-12-05 |
Accepted Date: | 2024-11-14 |
Authors: |
Fathi, Shadi
Mehravar, Moura Rahman, Mujib ( ![]() |