The technology of a condition based maintenance of an overhead contact line with Markov approximation of contact wire wear
Authors: Pereverzyev K. , Vasenko V. , Domanska G. 
Published: October 2020

The technologies of OCL condition based maintenance were improved for providing reliable and economic current collecting on electrified railways and in traction power networks of urban electric transport. It is established that one of the most perspective methods of reducing operating costs is the transition to scientifically justified terms of repair and planning of works
based on the actual state of OCL, the reliability of which is determined by the reliability, repair suitability and durability of the
elements. The basic criteria of the current collecting process are proposed: the value of contacting pair wear, the detachment of
the current collectors from the wires, the scope of oscillations of pantograph head and the contact pressure, coefficients of contact unreliability and cost savings of collecting a power from catenary, and, finally, a minimum of annual operating costs.
Technology of maintenance according to Markov type parameter control is developed. Models of controlling actions on
stagger and the contact wire gradient adjustment processes are developed. The standard linear programming algorithm was
used to solve the problem. The application of such technology to determine the matrix of controlling actions based on the results
of monitoring the stagger and the contact wire gradient is shown. The factors that determine the cost of staying in a state of
stagger have been identified. The controlling actions matrices on the stagger and the contact wire gradient and the cost of staying in these gradient states are established.
The technology of service with Markov approximation of wear of contact wires is offered. It has been investigated that the
contact wires, primarily due to wear, are degraded during operation. Degradation processes cause gradual failures. The first
group of failures: breakages, burnouts, local wear - require controlling actions to incut the insertion or putting into operation a
shunt. The second group: a burnout, a decrease in the average cross-section of a wire less than the allowable one requires controlling actions to replace the wire of the entire tension length. After conducting the first type of controlling actions, the contact
wire returns to the working state with the previous value of the determining parameter. When performing a second type of
controlling actions, the defining parameter returns to its original state. If the quantification step is chosen such that the intensities of failures and transitions from one state to another with a sufficient degree of accuracy were constant, then the graph of
states and transitions, as well as the Kolmogorov differential equations, can be used for the research. The readiness function,
the density of time distribution of infallible operation, the total failure rate, and the average recovery rate from state S0i to Si
are determined. Thus, all reliability indicators are defined and it is possible to use them in determining the condition of the contact wire of the tension length.
Experience has shown that the most effective diagnostics of the condition of OCL devices combines the assessment of the
state on mathematical, simulation models and measurements with the use of car laboratories for testing the contact network
and devices for monitoring the parameters of the contact wire for the railcar.
Key words –overhead contact line,contact wire, mainanance technology, controlling action models.