Vehicle Track Interaction – VTISM

VTISM*

Vehicle Track Interaction Strategic Model Software

Introduction

VTISM delivers substantial cost savings on the railway by optimising track maintenance and predicting the impact of changes to subsystems on the vehicle-track system.

The software links track and vehicle characteristics and asset management strategies to outputs such as track component life and infrastructure costs.

Key Features

• Links vehicle dynamic modelling software (VAMPIRE) to asset owners maintenance and renewal models such as Network Rail's Track Strategic Planning Application which models track maintenance and renewal costs.
• Models rail Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) and wear.
• Develops the Whole Life Rail Model to calculate side wear and RCF to give integrated rail renewal prediction.
• Provides estimates of costs and benefits from changes in the whole Vehicle-Track system.
• Develops maintenance and renewal intervention criteria to give accurate simulation of track.

Benefits

• The industry can now benefit from substantial cost reductions by evaluating and quantifying the economic impact of options
• Improves the configuration of existing vehicle fleets, for example by changing the wheel profile and its impact on track maintenance costs.
• Configuring new train fleets on a route, considering axle load distribution and suspension characteristics.
• Quantifies the influence of track components, or track geometry standards and maintenance methods, on life cycle costs.
• The software helps the industry to make the right decisions for the future configuration of the railway in order to maximise performance and reduce whole system life cycle costs.

*developed in conjunction with SERCO,RSSB and network rail