New Evaluation Methods for Non-Destructive Rail Inspection using Eddy Current and Ultrasound
- Since 1999 there has been a continuous development of non-destructive head check inspection. Especially in case of modern rail inspection systems, high demands on a fast, detailed detection and classification of defects called for improved testing methods. Due to the large amount of different rail types and profiles, the adaptation and optimization of algorithms is still in progress. Additional data analysis is under devel-opment for combined eddy current and ultrasonic inspection methods. This presentation gives an over-view of further enhancement and linking of testing systems as well as data processing. Main foci of the development are an improved sensitivity and an increased reliability of the testing results. Also, additional information can be obtained like determination of local hardness and roughness of the rail as well as an enhanced resolution for locating of defects which will be part of the presented work.