Rating-Based Design of a Vehicle for Herbicide-Free Vegetation Control on Rails

Railway lines are susceptible to adverse effects from vegetation, posing risks to infrastructure and operational safety.Traditional herbicide-based control methods face growing environmental and health concerns, potentially jeopardizing their future approval and societal acceptance.This study explores an innovative approach to vegetation control on railway lines by combining non-chemical methods.A systematic review of thermal, mechanical, electrical, and radiation-based techniques, totalling 18, was conducted, evaluating their suitability for rail maintenance.Mechanical weeding, pressurised water, and electroweeding emerged as the top-performing methods, subsequently developed, manufactured, and integrated into a versatile test vehicle.This integration allows for comprehensive treatment of the entire track area within the vehicle clearance and diverse plant species.The primary objective of this research is to develop and test sustainable, economically viable procedures for vegetation control on railway tracks.