Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Debonding damage detection in CFRP-reinforced steel structures using scanning probabilistic imaging method improved by ultrasonic guided-wave transfer function.

Ultrasonics·2025

Same author

Extraction and selective promotion of zero-group velocity and cutoff frequency resonances in bi-dimensional waveguides using the electromechanical impedance method.

Ultrasonics·2023

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 5, 2025

Author Spotlight: Efficient Image Recognition Using Directional Gradient Histogram Technique and Support Vector Machines

Author Spotlight: Efficient Image Recognition Using Directional Gradient Histogram Technique and Support Vector Machines

Published on: January 5, 2024

Railroad Sleeper Condition Monitoring Using Non-Contact in Motion Ultrasonic Ranging and Machine Learning-Based Image

Diptojit Datta¹, Ali Zare Hosseinzadeh¹, Ranting Cui¹

¹Experimental Mechanics, NDE & SHM Laboratory, Department of Structural Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)

|March 30, 2023

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A new ultrasonic sonar method measures railroad crosstie (sleeper) deflections without contact. This technology enables detailed 3D deflection analysis for improved track condition monitoring and stiffness evaluation.

Keywords:

digital signal processing machine learning and image processing nondestructive evaluation railroad sleeper monitoring ultrasonic ranging

More Related Videos

O-cresol Concentration Online Measurement Based On Near Infrared Spectroscopy Via Partial Least Square Regression

O-cresol Concentration Online Measurement Based On Near Infrared Spectroscopy Via Partial Least Square Regression

Published on: November 8, 2019

Noninvasive, High-throughput Determination of Sleep Duration in Rodents

Noninvasive, High-throughput Determination of Sleep Duration in Rodents

Published on: April 18, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 5, 2025

Author Spotlight: Efficient Image Recognition Using Directional Gradient Histogram Technique and Support Vector Machines

Author Spotlight: Efficient Image Recognition Using Directional Gradient Histogram Technique and Support Vector Machines

Published on: January 5, 2024

O-cresol Concentration Online Measurement Based On Near Infrared Spectroscopy Via Partial Least Square Regression

O-cresol Concentration Online Measurement Based On Near Infrared Spectroscopy Via Partial Least Square Regression

Published on: November 8, 2019

Noninvasive, High-throughput Determination of Sleep Duration in Rodents

Noninvasive, High-throughput Determination of Sleep Duration in Rodents

Published on: April 18, 2018

Area of Science:

Civil Engineering
Non-Destructive Testing
Railway Engineering

Background:

Railroad crosstie (sleeper) deflections are critical indicators of track health.
Accurate measurement of these deflections aids in identifying ballast support degradation and assessing track stiffness.
Existing methods may be limited in their ability to provide full-field, in-motion, and contactless measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce and validate an ultrasonic sonar-based ranging technique for measuring full-field railroad crosstie deflections.
To enable contactless, in-motion inspection of track components.
To assess the technique's accuracy and repeatability for 3D deflection analysis.

Main Methods:

Utilized an array of air-coupled ultrasonic transducers in pulse-echo mode.
Computed distance via time-of-flight of reflected waveforms.
Employed adaptive cross-correlation for relative deflection calculation.
Integrated computer vision for tie boundary demarcation and spatial tracking.
Conducted field tests at walking speed with a loaded train car.

Main Results:

Demonstrated the capability to measure full-field tie deflections non-contact.
Successfully captured 3D deflections, including twisting and longitudinal movements.
Field tests showed promising accuracy and repeatability.
The technique is suitable for in-motion inspections at current test speeds.

Conclusions:

The ultrasonic sonar technique shows significant potential for non-contact, full-field railroad crosstie deflection measurement.
Further research and development are required to achieve higher-speed inspection capabilities.
This method can enhance railway infrastructure monitoring and maintenance strategies.