ABSTRACT
Rail track network forms an essential part of the transportation system of a country and plays a vital role in its economy. It is responsible for transporting freight and bulk commodities between major cities, ports and numerous mineral and agricultural industries, apart from carrying passengers in busy urban networks. In recent years, the continual competition with road, air and water transport in terms of speed, carrying capacity and cost have substantially increased the frequency and axle load of the trains with faster operational speeds. On one hand this implies continuous upgrading of track, and on the other, this imparts inevitable pressure for adopting innovative technology to minimise construction and maintenance costs. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year for the construction and maintenance of rail tracks in many countries including USA, Canada, China, India and Australia. The efficient and optimum use of these funds is a challenging task which demands innovative and cutting edge technologies in railway engineering.
