Measures and Prescriptions to Reduce Stray Current in the Design of New Track Corridors

Katarina Vranešić, Sahil Bhagat, Andrea Mariscotti () and Robert Vail
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Katarina Vranešić: Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Sahil Bhagat: DITEN, Department of Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering, and Naval Architecture, University of Genoa, 16145 Genoa, Italy
Andrea Mariscotti: DITEN, Department of Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering, and Naval Architecture, University of Genoa, 16145 Genoa, Italy
Robert Vail: AECOM, Atlanta, GA 30309, USA

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-25

Abstract: Stray currents can cause very rapid degradation and material loss at the points where the current leaves the metal and enters the electrolyte. Nowadays, many resources are invested in the protection of jeopardized structures, such as buried pipelines, from stray current corrosion. This paper describes the measures that need to be considered in the design and construction of track structures to ensure high rail-to-ground resistance and consequently reduce stray currents. The main conclusions from existing guidelines and standards for reducing and controlling stray currents that are applied by various track operators are presented in the paper. Rail-to-ground resistance in different types of tracks structures and rail fastening systems is analyzed, and the optimal type of the track and type of the fastening system is defined. The grounding schemes used on the tracks and their influence on stray current values are described, as well as the influence of traction power stations (TPS) and rail cross bonding on stray current. Since it is not necessary to apply all the measures described to the same track structure, the paper gives recommendations on which measures to apply when building tracks with continuously fastened rails and which to apply when building tracks with discretely supported and fastened rails.

Keywords: urban railway track; DC power system; stray current mitigation; corrosion; stray current (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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