University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS)
The University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) was established in Fall of 2013 and operates as a consortium of three institutions, namely; 芝加哥大学 德州里奥格兰德河谷 (金沙中国) – Lead Institution, 德克萨斯州的一个&M University (TAMU), and 芝加哥大学 Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The lead institution is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, with 90% Hispanic enrollment. 是2nd in the nation in the number of Bachelor’s degrees and 3rd in the nation in the number of Master’s degrees awarded to Hispanics.
The strategic research goals of the UTCRS aim to fundamentally improve railway safety outcomes by the following means:
- Reducing fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs)
- Reducing failures by developing more durable materials and systems
- Developing advanced 技术 for infrastructure monitoring
- Developing 创新安全评估 以及决策工具
The research conducted by the UTCRS can be subdivided into three main focus areas, namely,
1)铁路机械系统, which includes mechanical components performance characterization and failure mitigation, mechanical components condition monitoring techniques, and advances in rail components and maintenance protocols
2)铁路运营系统, which includes at-grade railway crossing safety, 铁路运营安全
3)铁路基础设施系统, which includes durable materials and systems, 创新安全评估, and advanced 技术 for infrastructure monitoring
One of the main objectives of the UTCRS is to enhance student education and training through engagement in a variety of center activities including STEM summer camps, research experiences for students and teachers, 工程研讨会, K-12 transportation curriculum development, 以及社区外展项目. The opportunity to contribute to the research and development of new technologies with practical value attracts students and faculty to be a part of the UTCRS. Creating pathways for students to pursue their master’s and doctoral studies in the areas of transportation engineering and railways safety is one of the most important center missions. The training of a sophisticated workforce which is thoroughly grounded in the specific demands of rail service will have a long term effect on system safety through improved safety assessments, 对策, 以及决策工具.
