In a collaboration with Trafikverket, Sweden’s main authority on infrastructure, we have installed groundwater level sensors and tilt sensors in northern Sweden. The objective is to gather data from several sensors to optimize the maintenance strategy. With this new technology, Trafikverket will be able to gather data and analyze it and thereby learn about the behaviour of the tracks and switch points. This means that they in the future will be able to predict how different factors affect the track condition far more precisely than what was previously possible.

This brings several benefits to Trafikverket; one is that they can move away from norm-based maintenance, which often times includes unnecessary maintenance initiatives. This strategy is safe, but not very cost-efficient. Another benefit is that Trafikverket in a much higher scale will be able to specify tenders, as they have specific knowledge on what initiatives are needed – based on the foundation of sensor data.

We are happy to be a part of this project, and we a curious to see the effects of our sensors’ measurements.