ABSTRACT

Timber has been a versatile material for centuries. During the start of the Railway Age in the nineteenth century it was in considerable demand, particularly for bridge building. Timber is still in service and widely used throughout the UK network. The resilience and favourable strength to weight ratio and its relative ease of fabrication make it an attractive material. Longitudinal wheeltimbers are used extensively to carry track in situations where it is desirable to reduce the weight of bridges and in locations where the depth of the structure prevents the use of ballasted track. Most wheeltimbers in the UK comprise creosoted Douglas fir and to a lesser extent, naturally durable tropical hardwoods. Concerns about the effects of fungal decay and non-standardised inspection regimes are problematic. Managing the network is complex and imposes high and often conflicting demands on infrastructure asset managers. Effective asset management within a safety critical sector is an essential discipline. It is the variable nature of timber that presents significant management challenges. This paper summarises a strategy to improve the examination of wheeltimbers and assesses the feasibility of extending service life. This approach may deliver more effective asset management of timber assets.

摘要

几个世纪以来，木材一直是一种用途广泛的材料。在19世纪的铁路时代开始之时，需求量很大，尤其是桥梁建造。木材仍在使用，并在整个英国网络中广泛使用。弹性和良好的强度重量比及其相对容易制造使其成为有吸引力的材料。在希望减轻桥的重量的情况下以及在结构深度阻止使用道ball轨道的位置，纵向轮式木材被广泛地用于承载轨道。英国的大多数轮式木材均包括杂酚状的道格拉斯冷杉，以及程度较小的天然耐用的热带硬木。有关真菌腐烂和非标准化检查制度影响的担忧是有问题的。网络管理非常复杂，并且对基础架构资产管理器提出了很高且经常相互冲突的要求。安全关键部门内的有效资产管理是必不可少的学科。木材的可变性带来了重大的管理挑战。本文总结了一种改进轮毂轮胎检查的策略，并评估了延长使用寿命的可行性。这种方法可以提供更有效的木材资产资产管理。