Risk Management Tools

ZETA-TECH’s risk management tools identify high risk locations in the track and provide guidance for improved inspection and/or preventive maintenance to reduce that level of risk. This new generation of track safety management tools has been developed to quantify and analyze the “risk” associated with key track failure modes.

Among ZETA-TECH’s risk management models that have been shown to be effective in controlling and reducing the risk of derailments in their respective track risk areas are:

• Broken rail risk model which quantifies the risk of occurrence of a broken rail (and associated broken rail derailment) and allows railways to adjust their UT test schedules to reduce that risk.
• Track buckling risk model which identifies and prioritizes locations of high potential buckling risk and directs railway engineers to them for appropriate action.
• Vehicle/track geometry risk model which identifies and prioritizes locations of high potential for vehicle/track geometry related derailments.
• Track geometry defect risk model which quantifies the risk of occurrence of a critical geometry defect and allows railways to adjust their track geometry car test schedules to reduce that risk.
• Switch inspection system and associated risk prioritization model that quantifies the condition of a switch (turnout) and provides prioritized ranking to the railroad for maintenance and safety intervention.