We experimentally unveil the monitoring capabilities of guided waves in the context of railways engineering when operating in a harsh environment. To this end, the integrity of damaged rails is probed by way of resonant and nonresonant transduction mechanisms based on piezoelectric sensing and actuation. The experimental analysis is accomplished through the selective excitation and measurement of guided wave modes propagating through the rail, which are herein used to qualify: (i) the maximum distance reachable through the elastic signal; (ii) their capability of detecting damages. We show that guided waves are excellent candidates to detect modified dynamic behaviors inherently linked to forthcoming failures and are naturally applicable in the context of railway engineering where the environment plays a critical role in the wear of structural components.

中文翻译：

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利用导波对受损钢轨进行远程监测


我们通过实验揭示了铁路工程在恶劣环境下运行时导波的监测能力。为此，通过基于压电传感和驱动的谐振和非谐振换能机制来探测受损铁轨的完整性。实验分析是通过选择性激励和测量通过轨道传播的导波模式来完成的，这里用于限定：（i）通过弹性信号可到达的最大距离； (ii) 他们检测损害的能力。我们表明，导波是检测与即将发生的故障固有相关的修正动态行为的绝佳候选者，并且自然适用于铁路工程，其中环境在结构部件的磨损中起着至关重要的作用。