RailTEC faculty, students and alumni were well represented at the 12th International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) conference where they won four out of twelve Best Paper Awards. These papers will be transferred to the Journal for Rail and Rapid Transit (JRRT) for re-review and consideration for publication. IHHA 2023 was held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil on 27 – 31 August at the Windsor Convention & Expo Centre. The theme of this year’s IHHA conference was Application of Heavy Haul Innovations for a Sustainable World. A total of 508 abstracts were submitted by authors from 120 organizations and over 30 countries, under all 50 of the themes & sub-themes of the conference.
RailTEC student, staff and faculty presenters and their presentation titles included:
- Quantitative Analysis of Conventional and Distributed Power Train Accident Characteristics by Xinhao Liu
- Under Sleeper Pads: Field and Laboratory Evaluation for Heavy Haul by Jaeik Lee
- Leveraging 3D Laser Scanning Data for Track Condition Change Detection by J. Riley Edwards
- Track Modulus Assessment of Engineered Interspersed Concrete Sleepers in Ballasted Track by Arthur Lima
- Effect of Fixed Structures on Longitudinal Rail Stresses and Buckled Track Accidents by Arthur Lima
- Drone Imagens Applied To Turnouts Inspection by Vítor Alves
- Big data in railroads: the use of unmanned inspection vehicles by Arthur Bilheri
- Sensitivity of potential battery electric locomotive energy benefits to heavy haul freight rail operating characteristics by Michael Copley
This biennial conference is the premier event in the international heavy haul railway community and is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in heavy haul railway operations, engineering, maintenance, and technology. The event was hosted in partnership with MRS Logistics and Vale and consisted of a two-day pre-conference technical workshop, three days of the main conference plenary and parallel sessions, and a one-day technical tour.
IHHA 2025 will be combined with the World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR) in Colorado Springs, CO and hosted by MxV Rail.
