Strain-Stress Behaviour Investigation on Railway Track Based on The FBG Wavelength Shifting: Rectangular Rosette Configuration

One of the main causes of railway track failure is fatigue fracture, particularly in steel materials. Frequent use can compromise the structural integrity of the tracks, making regular monitoring and daily maintenance essential to ensure safe operation. To support effective maintenance, an efficient system must be established to detect early signs of deformation on the railway tracks. The objective of this study is to develop an understanding of the strainstress behaviour in railway tracks. A Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor with a Rosette arrangement is used in this investigation to measure strain under both static and dynamic conditions. The Rosette configuration is chosen because it groups two or more FBG sensors together, allowing for the measurement of strain in multiple directions. The FBG sensors are installed 120 metres from the station, specifically at a critical point, to collect strain data. Once the data is obtained, a strain-stress analysis is conducted to assess the strain behaviour of the track. The results show that the principal strain and stress recorded by the sensor mounted at 90° are higher compared to those at 45° and 0°. The average principal strain is 37.3540 µƐ, while the average principal stress is 16.1339 MPa. Implementing an efficient system of this nature can significantly reduce the risk of railway track failure by enabling early prediction and timely intervention.