Adapting Railway Maintenance to Climate Change

A. H. S. Garmabaki, Adithya Thaduri, Stephen Famurewa and Uday Kumar
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A. H. S. Garmabaki: Operation and Maintenance Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
Adithya Thaduri: Operation and Maintenance Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
Stephen Famurewa: Operation and Maintenance Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
Uday Kumar: Operation and Maintenance Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 24, 1-27

Abstract: Railway infrastructure is vulnerable to extreme weather events such as elevated temperature, flooding, storms, intense winds, sea level rise, poor visibility, etc. These events have extreme consequences for the dependability of railway infrastructure and the acceptable level of services by infrastructure managers and other stakeholders. It is quite complex and difficult to quantify the consequences of climate change on railway infrastructure because of the inherent nature of the railway itself. Hence, the main aim of this work is to qualitatively identify and assess the impact of climate change on railway infrastructure with associated risks and consequences. A qualitative research methodology is employed in the study using a questionnaire as a tool for information gathering from experts from several municipalities in Sweden, Swedish transport infrastructure managers, maintenance organizations, and train operators. The outcome of this questionnaire revealed that there was a lower level of awareness about the impact of climate change on the various facets of railway infrastructure. Furthermore, the work identifies the challenges and barriers for climate adaptation of railway infrastructure and suggests recommended actions to improve the resilience towards climate change. It also provides recommendations, including adaptation options to ensure an effective and efficient railway transport service.

Keywords: climate change; climate adaptation; railway infrastructure; resilience of transport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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