Ballast Maintenance
Ballast supports sleepers, maintains track alignment, and enables effective drainage. Over time, it can degrade due to fouling or substandard material, leading to water retention, instability, subgrade erosion, increased sleeper wear, and safety risks. A sufficient thickness of clean, angular ballast with open voids is essential for optimal performance. Maintaining a sufficient clean ballast profile also helps resist track buckling, particularly during extreme temperatures. Zetica Rail provides advanced inspection solutions to assess ballast condition, optimise maintenance planning, minimise disruptions, and extend asset life.
The Challenge
- Track instability– Compromised ballast can lead to track geometry exceptions, subgrade erosion, trapped water and an increased risk of track faults.
- Reduced asset lifespan– Poor ballast conditions accelerate wear on other track components, including sleepers, rail and subgrade layers.
- Safety concerns– A poorly maintained trackbed increases the likelihood of track failures, affecting overall network reliability.
- Increased maintenance costs– The need for frequent manual interventions and unscheduled maintenance drives up operational expenses.
- Visual-only inspections – Can miss early-stage issues such as emerging mudspots, poor drainage or formation failures.
Our Solutions
- Targeted maintenance planning – We provide precise data for cost-effective ballast renewal and fewer interventions.
- Improved track stability– Early ballast detection helps maintain track alignment, ensure safety and enhance ride comfort.
- Extended infrastructure lifespan– Regular assessments preserve track assets, reducing long-term maintenance cost.
- Near real-time condition monitoring– Our high-speed train-mounted systems monitor ballast without disrupting operations.
- Measured surveys – Provide precise objective data empowering an objective approach to ballast maintenance.
Our Technology
Our advanced rail radar, imaging, and lidar systems scan the trackbed to identify areas where ballast is contaminated, poorly graded, insufficient in volume, or failing to provide adequate drainage. We combine:
- Ground penetrating radar (GPR): Assesses below-ground conditions. GPR-derived metrics are proven indicators of structural and material changes, supporting effective maintenance planning.
- High-resolution profiling and imaging: Maps surface conditions and measures ballast volumes.
- Data-driven reporting: Delivers actionable insights for predictive maintenance and improved asset management.
KEY BENEFITS
Cost-Effective Ballast Management for Long-Term Track Stability
Reduce Maintenance Waste
Target the right areas at the right time with accurate ballast condition insights to eliminate unnecessary interventions.
Enhance Track Performance
Improve stability, drainage, and alignment by identifying and addressing hidden ballast issues before they impact track performance.
Data-Driven Decision-Making
Turn high-resolution radar and imaging data into clear, actionable insights for smarter, proactive maintenance planning.
Zetica House, Southfield Road
Eynsham, Oxfordshire, OX29 4JB
© Zetica Rail 2025.