Technological Developments at RTRI for Better Maintenance of Equipment


T.NAGASE


In an effort to contribute to saving the maintenance cost of equipment, the RTRI is engaged in development and improvement of inspection and diagnostic technology and in prolongation of service life of equipment and parts. To be more specific, in the former area mentioned above, we put emphasis on less expensive, compact method of inspecting the track, trolley wire and signals; corrosion inspection of messenger wire, feeder and concrete structures; application of image-processing technology to inspection of ground facilities; overall review of axle inspection technology. Meanwhile in the latter area, we put emphasis on low-cost paved track, introduction of ladder-sleeper, low-alloy trolley wire; reinforcing of road bed and ballast by application of geocell and development of repair method to cope with chemical reactions of concrete structures.