Transportation Safety Board

Underlying Factors in Subgrade Failures

IRSC Conference

Tokyo, November 2002

TSB Mandate

Advance transportation safety by:

– Conducting independent investigations

– Making findings as to causes, contributing factors and identify safety deficiencies

– Making recommendations to reduce or eliminate the safety deficiencies

106.15 Ashcroft (Conrad)

44.80 Parry Sound (Pointe au Baril)

34.55 Kingston (Coteau)

59.10 Nelson (Creston)

Subgrade Design & Construction

Drainage

Drainage

Inspection & Monitoring

Inspection & Monitoring

Roadbed Integrity Warning System

Recommendations

Nakina (1992) & Conrad (1997)

– Identification of sites susceptible to slope instability

– Review of current roadbed design criteria

– Adequacy of existing drainage systems

– Systems for monitoring roadbed integrity

Transport Canada

Working Together onRailway Natural Hazards

IRSC Conference

Tokyo, November 2002

Transport Canada’s Role

Develop and administer policies, Develop and administer policies, regulations and services for theregulations and services for thebest transportation systembest transportation system in the in the world for Canadiansworld for Canadians

TC Roles In Innovation Cycle

Gather intelligenceGather intelligence

Set safety standards & monitor complianceSet safety standards & monitor compliance

Do research and developmentDo research and development

Promote & fund innovation by external partnersPromote & fund innovation by external partners

Broker and manage national & international partnershipsBroker and manage national & international partnerships

Develop national visions and focus initiatives & resourcesDevelop national visions and focus initiatives & resources

Integrate innovations into its own operationsIntegrate innovations into its own operations

TC R&D Project Origins

TCTC

Other federal government departments, Other federal government departments, agencies, and programsagencies, and programs

ProvincesProvinces

IndustryIndustry

Foreign governmentsForeign governments

VisionariesVisionaries

The Natural Hazards Problem:How to economically identify conditions that might be

hazardous to train passage through rugged mountainous terrain and provide countermeasures.

Landslide Hazard Risk Mitigation

Electromagnetic Field Disturbance Rockfall Detection System

CN Lasha, near Lytton, B.C. CP near Golden, B.C.

Instrument Case for test equipment Cable laid on concrete

ties, protected by conduit

Cable laid on wood ties, protected by 2” x 4”s

Slide and Washout Hazards:Managing Natural Risks on Railways

May 1-3, 2002

RRAB Workshop

Purpose of the Workshop

Stimulate collaboration and the investment of resources for new developmental programs to improvethe management of natural risks from slide and washout hazards on railways

Workshop SponsorsAssociation of Regional Railways of CanadaCanadian National RailwaysCanadian Pacific RailwayIndustry CanadaNational Research CouncilNatural Resources CanadaOffice of Critical Infrastructure Protection and

Emergency Preparedness CanadaRailway Association of CanadaTransport CanadaVIA Rail Canada

Workshop Discussion Groups

Hazard characterization

Establishing the context for research

Hazard monitoring and detection technologies

Research needs and priorities

The way ahead

Workshop Will Be Considered aSuccess When. . .

New programs are planned, resourced, and begun within one or two years to tacklepriorities identified in the workshop

Significant improvements in managing natural risks from slide and washout hazards on railways are implemented and are bearing significant fruit within five years that trace their origins to the workshop

Planned Workshop Follow-UpPrepare and distribute:

Full workshop proceedingsPackage of speaker’s overheads

Prepare and circulate proposed program: Initial sounding with expert panel membersCirculate results to all participants

Consult with participants on proposed program

Develop and implement go-forward plan:Converge on supportable programResource the programForm technical steering group & management regimeCoalesce participants and partners

Ground Hazard Research ProgramRisk Assessment

Hazards classification systemDatabase of incidents and case historiesGIS based modeling tools for predicting eventsCritical weather thresholds that trigger eventsField test methodologies for the Fraser Canyon and

Thunder Bay rail corridors

Risk ControlDecision support tools for mitigating riskNew technologies for monitoring and detection of

events

End of Presentation