Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40431810›Full record

ArticleSensors (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Real-Time Detection and Quantification of Rail Surface Cracks Using Surface Acoustic Waves and Piezoelectric Patch Transducers.

Mohsen Rezaei, Sven Eck, Sebastian Fichtenbauer, Jürgen Maierhofer, Reinhard Klambauer, Alexander Bergmann, David Künstner, Dino Velic, Hans-Peter Gänser

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Mohsen RezaeiMaterials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH (MCL), 8700 Leoben, Austria.ORCID 0009-0000-6131-1302
Sven EckMaterials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH (MCL), 8700 Leoben, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-2688-0731
Sebastian FichtenbauerMaterials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH (MCL), 8700 Leoben, Austria.
Jürgen MaierhoferMaterials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH (MCL), 8700 Leoben, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-2092-2865
Reinhard KlambauerInstitute of Electrical Measurement and Sensor Systems, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-2101-0606
Alexander BergmannInstitute of Electrical Measurement and Sensor Systems, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-3343-8319
David KünstnerVoestalpine Rail Technology GmbH, 8700 Donawitz, Austria.
Dino VelicVoestalpine Signaling Austria GmbH, 8740 Zeltweg, Austria.
Hans-Peter GänserMaterials Center Leoben Forschung GmbH (MCL), 8700 Leoben, Austria.ORCID 0000-0001-8392-4943

Funding

Austrian Research Promotion Agency 886385
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This paper presents a novel wayside rail monitoring system for real-time detection and quantification of rail surface cracks with sub-millimeter precision. The core innovation lies in mounting piezoelectric transducers on the web of the rail-an unconventional and practical location that avoids interference with wheel passages while enabling continuous monitoring in real-world conditions. Moreover, to directly quantify crack depth, a customized signal processing pipeline is developed, employing surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and incorporating a parallel reference transducer pair mounted on an undamaged rail section for calibration. This auxiliary pair provides a real-time calibration baseline, improving measurement robustness and accuracy. The method is experimentally validated on rail samples and verified through metallographic analysis. This approach enables condition-based maintenance by improving detection accuracy and offers the potential to reduce operational costs and enhance railway safety.

Indexed as

crack quantificationpiezoelectric transducersrail monitoringrolling contact fatiguesurface acoustic wavessurface defects

Identifiers

PMID40431810
PMCPMC12115287

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.