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This article considers various aspects of the impact of climate change on the railway infrastructure and operations. A brief international overview and the importance of this issue for Russia are given. Temperature effects, permafrost thawing, strong winds, floods and sea level rise, long-term effects, and adaptation measures are discussed. In conc...
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... the United Kingdom, according to a report by Rail Safety and Standards Board (2003), hot dry summers are expected to cause increased buckling of train track, desiccation of track earthworks, more need for installation of air conditioning systems. "Rail track buckling" is a term describing large lateral misalignments in continuous welded rail track, or CWR ( Figure 1). CWR has been widely used across many countries in the world and is subject to the impact of high and cold temperatures (dilatation or contraction, correspondingly) (Nemry and Demirel, 2012). ...
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... To promote the understanding of climate change among engineers and planners, some researchers have discussed how railways and roads would be affected by climate change (Baker, et al., 2010;Davies et al., 2008;Kostianaia et al., 2021;Tang et al., 2018;Vardon, 2015). Adaptation measures are also proposed, including strategic adaptation frameworks (Kim et al., 2019;Nolte et al., 2016;Regmi & Hanaoka, 2011;Rattanachot et al., 2015;Wang, Qu, et al., 2020) and cost-benefit assessments of adaptation measures (Chinowsky & Arndt, 2012;Kwiatkowski et al., 2013;Nemry & Demirel, 2012). ...
Transport infrastructures built on historical experience are expected to face multiple threats under climate change, especially the continuous interruptive losses and additional maintenance costs caused by more intense or frequent record‐breaking extreme climate events. In this study, we investigated the change in the exposure of global rail and road infrastructures to eight record‐breaking meteorological hazards using the latest Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) climate data, including extreme temperature and extreme precipitation. Our findings suggest that higher extreme heat and increasing thaw‐freezing index ratio pose great threats to global rail and road infrastructures. The expected annual exposures of these two hazards are 4 and 2 times the average exposure level of eight hazards, respectively. Moreover, the exposure rapidly increases due to sharply increasing drought and heavy rain compound events as emissions growth and development accelerate, rising from 7% to 18% in eight hazard exposures. Sustainable and lower radiative forcing pathways would contribute to the exposure mitigation, with the peak exposure of eight hazards under the SSP2‐4.5 and SSP1‐2.6 scenarios averaging 29% and 52% lower, respectively, than that under the SSP3‐7.0, which is an extreme scenario we may be on track for under current global efforts. However, the fact that most areas will still be affected by multiple hazards is probably unavoidable. Thus, in parallel with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we recommend that the transport sector incorporate locally appropriate climate change adaptation strategies to avoid losses induced by record‐breaking extreme climate events.
... Railway infrastructure in subarctic regions is operated in extremely difficult engineering-geological and landscape-climatic conditions, subject to continuous exposure to various external influences leading to deformations of the track and artificial structures Kostianaia et al., 2021]. Examples include coastal abrasion, mudflows, floods, erosion, landslides and drifts, karst failures, suffusion subsidence, ice dams, thermokarst, thermal erosion and solifluction, rupture deformations, snow avalanches, etc. ...
In this article we investigate near-surface air temperature (NSAT) and soil temperature variability at four depths in the region of the White Sea, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Regions, and Republic of Karelia. For the analysis we used NOAA-CIRES-DOE 20th Century Reanalysis (Version 3) reanalysis data for the 1980–2015 time period and data of bent-stem thermometers at 5, 10, 15, 20 cm depths and extraction thermometers at 20, 60, 80, 120, 240 and 320 cm depths for 1985-2021 time period. Average variability of NSAT is estimated using linear trend as +0.028 ◦C/year. For soil temperature a linear trend is of +0.0137 ◦C/year on surface (0 cm), +0.0136 ◦C/year at 10 cm depth, +0.0142 ◦C/year at 40 cm depth and +0.0133 ◦C/year at 100 cm depth.
... Justification of the feasibility of building a railway section in their service life [Kattsov, 2022]. The increased period of warmth, together with changes in most climate parameters, is directly linked to the degradation of permafrost [Kostianaia et al., 2021;Serykh et al., 2022]. This, in turn, leads to changes in the landscape and the balance of water bodies in the region [Vasiliev et al., 2020]. ...
... Soil temperature is an important parameter for assessments of the reliability of railway operations, especially in areas with permafrost soils [Kostianaia and Kostianoy, 2023;Kostianaia et al., 2021]. The permafrost soils contain ice, so when the soil temperature rises above 0°C, the frozen soil thaws and its strength decreases sharply. ...
... High winds can cause loss of contact between the current collector and the contact wire, increasing the risk of derailment or train overturning [Kostianaia et al., 2021]. Strong winds can also lead to accidents and disruption of the rail network due to trains colliding with fallen trees, branches, or debris on the tracks [Baker et al., 2009]. ...
Arctic zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF) is the region of intensive economic development. In this regard, it is critical to give an adequate assessment of natural factors that may have a negative impact on the growing technological infrastructure. Rapid climate change effects show a significant influence on this activity, including the railway network development. Hence, the decision-making community requires relevant information on climatic variations that can put at hazard the construction and operation of railway facilities. This paper presents the analysis of climatic changes within the region of Central and Western Russian Arctic in 1980–2021. It was performed using the new electronic Atlas of climatic variations in main hydrometeorological parameters, created for the Russian Railways in 2023. This geoinformatic product includes about 400 digital maps reflecting the variability of seven climatic parameters over more than four decades within the studied region. These parameters are air temperature, total precipitation, wind speed, soil temperature, soil moisture content, air humidity, and snow cover thickness. The analysis of climatic maps and their comparison between selected periods showed spatial and temporal heterogeneity of climatic variations in this region. This justifies the feasibility of further research using additional analytical instruments, such as Hovmöller diagrams, time series graphs, etc. The implementation of advanced geoinformatic products in the practice of the Russian Railways will facilitate sustainable development of its infrastructure in rapidly altering climatic conditions.
... Extreme rainfall events also tend to raise the pore water pressure on steep slopes, raising the possibility of those geology hazards. Extremely high temperatures in summer can lead to the buckling and thermal stretching of railway tracks [57]. To present a comprehensive review of disaster risk studies on the subject of railroad engineering, a systematic search and selection approach for reviewed publications were utilized. ...
... Bridge failures due to flooding or debris flow are most usually caused by extreme rainfall [57]. A return period of flooding and precipitation is often adopted to express the probability and severity of flood hazards occurring. ...
Natural hazards constantly threaten the sustainable construction and operation of railway engineering facilities, making railway disaster risk assessment an essential approach to disaster prevention. Despite numerous studies that have focused on railway risk assessment, few have quantified specific damages, such as economic losses and human casualties. Meanwhile, the mechanism of impact damage from various disasters on railway facilities and the propagation of functional failure in railway systems have not been thoroughly summarized and addressed. Thus, it is essential to conduct effective quantitative risk assessments (QRAs) to facilitate the sustainable design, construction, and operation of rail infrastructure. This paper aimed to review and discuss the systematic development of risk assessment in railway engineering facilities. Firstly, we highlighted the importance of disaster QRA for railway facilities. Next, numerous limitations of QRA methods were concluded after conducting a comprehensive review of the risk assessment research applied to railway facilities, such as bridges, tunnels, and roadbeds. Furthermore, true QRA (TQRA) application in railway engineering has faced several significant challenges. Therefore, we proposed a promising TQRA strategy for railway engineering facilities based on the integration of building information modeling (BIM) and geographic information systems (GIS). The proposed BIM+GIS technology is expected to provide sustainable future directions for railway engineering QRA procedures.
... Figure 1 shows failure of overhead lines in presence of ice in Slovenia railway. Table 1: Possible issues due to snow and ice on railway infrastructure [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. ...
Ice accretion on railway overhead contact wires/conductors can cause various critical operational and safety issues such as overloading, arc formation, mass imbalance, and wire galloping. The focus of this multiphase numerical study is to understand and analyze the ice accretion physics on railway overhead powerline conductors at various operating conditions. In this regard, two different geometric shape conductors of 12 mm diameter, 1) a grooved shape contact wire (like an actual railway conductor); 2) a standard circular shape contact wire are used. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based numerical simulations are carried out for both geometric configurations at different operating parameters such as wind speed, Liquid Water Content (LWC), cloud droplet size distribution, Median Volume Diameter (MVD), and atmospheric temperature. Analysis shows that variation in the operating weather parameters for both geometric configurations considerably affect the ice accretion, both in terms of accreted ice thickness and mass.
... Additionally, forecasts included air temperature, dew point, and wind speed. Validation results show slight bias in predicting wire surface temperature, air temperature, dew point, and wind speed (Shao Table 1 Possible issues due to snow and ice on railway infrastructure (Garcia-Marti et al. 2018;Kostianaia et al. 2021;Nemry and Demirel 2012;Palin et al. 2021;Stenström et al. 2012;Tahvili 2016;Thaduri et al. 2021;Thornes and Davis 2002;Zakeri and Olsson 2018) Railway infrastructure issues related to icing ...
... Frost heave happens when freezing water in the ballast results in expansion, moves the track beds, and causes irregularities in track geometry. Differential frost heave can affect track performance and result in speed restrictions due to freeze-thaw cycles (Kostianaia et al. 2021;Silvast et al. 2013;Tahvili 2016); also, ice is the main factor that can influence the properties of frozen ballast layers (Li et al. 2022). Akagawa et al. (2017) collected ballast and subgrade layer samples from tracks in northern Japan to examine their frost heave susceptibilities and their mineral compositions. ...
... Ice accumulation, particularly in highspeed rail, can increase operational costs due to an increased axle load, intensified vibration, failed braking processes, or a degraded dynamic performance (Gao et al. 2020). Cold temperatures, according to Kostianaia et al. (2021), cause changes in the mechanical characteristics of wheel bandage material as well as embrittlement of the material due to a lack of flexibility. The most important effects of ice and snow on rolling stock are mentioned in Table 3. Xie and Gao (2017) used a discrete phase model (DPM) to study the flow field that carried snow particles in a high-speed train bogie area. ...
This article focuses on studying the current literature about railway operations in icing conditions, identifying icing effects on railway infrastructure, rolling stock, and operations, and summarizing the existing solutions for addressing these issues. Even though various studies have been conducted in the past on the impact of winter , climate change, and low temperatures on railway operations, not much work has been done on optimizing railway operations under icing conditions. This study demonstrates that further research is needed to better understand ice accretion and its effects on different parts of railways. It appears that railway infrastructure faces serious problems during icing conditions, and additional research in this field is required to precisely identify the problems and suggest solutions. Therefore, it is important to enhance the knowledge in this area and suitable optimal and cost-effective ice mitigation methods to minimize icing effects on railway operations and safety.
... These effects can result in infrastructure deterioration, service interruptions, safety hazards, and increased maintenance costs. Understanding these climate change impacts is essential for developing effective railway adaptation strategies [19,20]. Efforts to incorporate climate change adaptation into the planning and design of railway infrastructure have resulted in a variety of strategies and policies. ...
This study delves into the crucial task of embedding climate change resilience within the sphere of railway infrastructure planning and design in India. As climate change continues to threaten global transportation systems, the creation of robust, sustainable infrastructure becomes indispensable for minimizing its impacts. Initial investigation entails assessing both existing and anticipated climate change scenarios in India, encompassing elements like temperature fluctuations, changes in precipitation, and severe weather phenomena. Following this, the study proceeds to pinpoint the specific risks and vulnerabilities that the Indian railway system stands to confront due to these climatic shifts. A thorough exploration of current adaptation policies and strategies provides a framework to merge these into railway infrastructure planning and design, using a mix of literary review, best practices, and international case studies as resources. The Indian railway network undergoes a meticulous analysis to evaluate its vulnerability, leading to the identification of key adaptation measures like devising new railway tracks, enhancing the existing infrastructure, adopting resilience-based technologies, and implementing nature-centric solutions. The research probes the economic, social, and environmental ramifications of these measures, underlining the long-term sustainability and beneficial impacts on the transportation industry. Expert interviews, stakeholder consultations, and policy analysis culminate in a set of recommendations for policymakers, urban planners, and transportation authorities. These recommendations aim to shape the progression of a climate-resilient railway infrastructure in the light of India's distinct challenges. Such an integration of climate change adaptation strategies contributes towards a more robust and sustainable transportation system. This study enriches the existing body of knowledge on climate change adaptation in transportation, offering valuable perspectives for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers aiming for climate resilience in the railway sector.
... Notably, in both average values and in values for individual months, negative values of soil temperature in the MERRA-2 database are observed only on the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, Yamal Peninsula, and northwards from 68 • N in the territory east of the Gulf of Ob. This distribution contradicts the known maps of the permafrost boundary position in northern Russia and Siberia [3,6], so this issue requires special consideration. The average rate of soil temperature increased in 2000-2021 and reached from 0.2 • C to 0.8 • C per 10 years in the central part of the studied area whereas in the far northern regions it reached from 1.2 • C to 1.6 • C per 10 years in Figure 32. Figure 29. ...
... Notably, in both average values and in values for individual months, negative values of soil temperature in the MERRA-2 database are observed only on the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, Yamal Peninsula, and northwards from 68°N in the territory east of the Gulf of Ob. This distribution contradicts the known maps of the permafrost boundary position in northern Russia and Siberia [3,6], so this issue requires special consideration. The average rate of soil temperature increased in 2000-2021 and reached from 0.2 °C to 0.8 °C per 10 years in the central part of the studied area whereas in the far northern regions it reached from 1.2 °C to 1.6 °C per 10 years in Figure 32. ...
The Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is one of the most intensively developing regions of the country. Amongst the major domains of economic and industrial growth and improvement is transport infrastructure and particularly the railway network. This area is being exposed to negative factors of rapid climate change that can significantly affect and compromise this activity. Thus, it is vital to take them into account during design, construction, and operation of the railway infrastructure facilities. This work details the production of a digital atlas comprising the 1950–2021 dynamics of the main hydrometeorological parameters: air and soil temperature, precipitation, wind speed, air and soil humidity, and snow cover thickness. The maps are based on climatic data derived from the MERRA-2 (Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2) reanalysis. In total there are 459, which are arranged into 7 chapters. The atlas geographically covers the western part of the Russian Arctic encompassing the regions of quite intensive transport development, which includes the construction of the Northern Latitudinal Railway. Original algorithms of geospatial data processing and their further representation as well as the maps compiled in GIS environment are discussed. Comprehensive analysis of climatic changes in the region of the Russian Arctic including detailed quantitative evaluation over 40 years is given. In the Discussion, we focus on those changes of the regional climate which, from our point of view, are the most significant for consideration by railway operators. The obtained results contribute to framing the theoretical basis of design, development, and sustainable operation of the railway infrastructure in the Arctic and facilitate the decision-making process. This is the first experience of building a specialized climatic cartographic product for the needs of the Russian railways, and to our knowledge the first atlas such as that in the world. In the future, the amassed experience may be transferred to other regions of the Russian Federation as well as similar regions in Canada, Sweden and Highland China that are also subject to significant climate change.
... Studies on the impact of climate change on the railway infrastructure have recently grown. The potential consequences are manifold, including rail buckling, rail flooding, expansion of swing bridges, overheating of electrical equipment and its damage, bridge scour, failure of earthworks, ground settlement, pavement deterioration, damage to sea walls, coastal erosion of tracks and earthworks, and an increased number of railway accidents in general (Rail Safety and Standards Board 2016; Li & Kaewunruen 2019; Kostianaia et al., 2021). Such changes require thorough assessment of the actual impacts, forecasts of regional climate change, and adaptation measures. ...
... Adaptation measures for railway infrastructure are already under discussion in several publications. Our previous publication (Kostianaia et al., 2021) was devoted to a brief overview of the climate change impacts on the railway infrastructure and operability in Russia, Europe, Canada, USA, and China, including some examples of adaptation measures. This paper will continue with a review of adaptation strategies and technologies elaborated in different countries to minimize the impact of climate change on railway infrastructure. ...
Impact of climate change on railway transport manifests in a variety of consequences, such as rail buckling, rail flooding, expansion of swing bridges, overheating of electrical equipment and its damage, bridge scour, failure of earthworks, ground settlement, pavement deterioration, damage to sea walls, coastal erosion of tracks and earthworks, and an increased number of railway accidents in general. Such impacts can cause considerable disruption of railway operations and lead to substantial financial expenses for repair of the railway infrastructure. Therefore, it is crucial to include adaptation strategies already in the design phase of the railway construction to ensure stability and integrity of the railway operations. This paper provides a literature review of adaptation considerations in Canada, China and Sweden and discusses climate change challenges that these countries face in their railway systems. In conclusion, the authors provide recommendations for adaptation approaches based on the reviewed international experience which can be useful for policymakers and managers of railway companies.
... Severe climate conditions impact railway operation and safety [33]. A changing climate or temperature could dramatically impact railway infrastructures, such as rail buckling, pavement deterioration and erosion of tracks [34,35]. ...
Innovative digital twins (DTs) that allow engineers to visualise, share information, and monitor the condition during operation is necessary to optimise railway construction and maintenance. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an approach for creating and managing an inventive 3D model simulating digital information that is useful to project management, monitoring and operation of a specific asset during the whole life cycle assessment (LCA). BIM application can help to provide an efficient cost management and time schedule and reduce the project delivery time throughout the whole life cycle of the project. In this study, an innovative DT has been developed using BIM integration through a life cycle analysis. Minnamurra Railway Bridge (MRB), Australia, has been chosen as a real-world use case to demonstrate the extended application of BIM (i.e., the DT) to enhance the operation, maintenance and asset management to improve the sustainability and resilience of the railway bridge. Moreover, the DT has been exploited to determine GHG emissions and cost consumption through the integration of BIM. This study demonstrates the feasibility of DT technology for railway maintenance and resilience optimisation. It also generates a virtual collaboration for co-simulations and co-creation of values across stakeholders participating in construction, operation and maintenance, and enhancing a reduction in costs and GHG emission.
