Stanley Consultants’ Post

Rail & Climate Change: CP7. With our infrastructure battered by 14 unprecedented named storms last year and forecasts of the same or worse, Network Rail has released it's next 5 year plan to invest to better protect our railways. £2.8bn has been committed to activities and technology to help our infrastructure cope with extreme weather, thus delivering a more reliable and better performing railway for both Passengers and Freight. Examples include: - More than 600,000 meters of drains will be built, rebuilt, redesigned or see increased maintenance to enable our railway to cope with much heavier rainfall and reduce flooding. - Targeting over 20,000 cuttings or embankments for attention, with over 300 miles being strengthened through renewal and refurbishment and over 900 miles seeing planned maintenance. - Recruiting almost 400 drainage engineers who will increase the care and maintenance of assets to be able to better handle increased and intense rainfall. - Installing significantly more ‘smart’ movement sensors to cuttings and embankments giving early warning of any changes enabling engineers to react, hopefully before a full landslip. - Installing CCTV at high-risk flooding sites to enable better and faster response. Amongst much more... The investment has already begun, will you be a part of it's journey? #EnvironmentalManagement #CP7 #Infrastructure #ClimateChange

Infrastructure Policy Briefing: Better climate-risk mapping data a must; Facing extreme weather and filling in the gaps; Focus on infrastructure maintenance needed; and more. https://buff.ly/3U6YWwq

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞’𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 As the climate becomes more unpredictable, rail operators face mounting challenges. From landslides to flooding, track temperature variations to drainage performance, the stability of our rail infrastructure is more vulnerable than ever. At Railmonitor, we recognize these shifts and the need to adapt quickly. But instead of merely reacting to these climate threats, the real advantage lies in #anticipation. ➡️By leveraging advanced Climate Monitoring Solutions integrated with our #TrackBed360 or #TrackSwitch360, we enable rail operators to move from reactive responses to proactive decision-making. ➡️This integration of real-time data and predictive analytics helps identify risks early and ensures swift action long before issues escalate. ✅ No, we can't stop natural events like landslides or floods, but we can offer something invaluable: 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄. ✅𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 to implement safety measures, 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 to reduce disruptions, and 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 to minimize maintenance costs. It’s not just about technology—it's about reshaping how we think about infrastructure management in an era of climate change. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭. #ClimateResilience #RailwaySafety #InfrastructureManagement #PredictiveMaintenance #Railmonitor #Sustainability

Lightning storms are getting more frequent and intense, impacting electric facilities. Thus, insulation coordination is critical. Learn how GIS can help. https://ow.ly/GTcZ50TVS3j

Railways, often overlooked in wildfire discussions, face infrastructure risks in forested regions. Blocked wheels can ignite sparks, leading to devastating fires. Deploying Dryad Networks' solar-powered gas sensors along tracks can detect #wildfires within minutes, mitigating risks. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dyfuJera

Record-breaking heat this summer melted roads, warped train tracks, and left bridges stuck open across America, exposing critical weaknesses in our aging infrastructure. The scorching temperatures of summer 2024 wreaked havoc on #transportation systems nationwide. The Third Avenue Bridge became stuck open in New York for hours when its metal expanded in the heat. Roads buckled in several states, creating hazardous driving conditions. Amtrak faced heat-related delays and outages, highlighting the vulnerability of power lines and rails to extreme temperatures. These incidents underscore a broader problem: America's infrastructure struggles to cope with climate change. American Society of Civil Engineers gave U.S. infrastructure a C- grade in 2021, with 40% of roads in poor or mediocre condition. As heat waves become more frequent and intense, the strain on our transportation systems will likely worsen. Engineers are working on solutions, including heat-resistant materials for rails and innovative road designs. Researchers are also developing advanced monitoring techniques, such as mobile scanning systems and #AI-powered sensors, to detect weaknesses in infrastructure before they lead to failures. This summer's events are a stark reminder of the urgent need for resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding future #climate challenges. As we move forward, investing in upgrades and maintenance will be crucial to ensure the safety and reliability of America's transportation network. TL;DR #1 - Extreme heat in the summer of 2024 caused widespread infrastructure problems across the U.S. #2 - Roads buckled, bridges got stuck, and train tracks warped due to high temperatures #3 - America's aging infrastructure received a C- grade in 2021, highlighting existing vulnerabilities #4 - Engineers are developing heat-resistant materials and advanced monitoring techniques #5 - Urgent investment in infrastructure upgrades is needed to address future climate challenges #InfrastructureResilience #ExtremeHeat #TransportationSafety #EngineeringInnovation #ClimateAdaptation

This article is a must-read for anyone working in the power or cable industries or concerned about the reliability of the power grid. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, so this point is more critical than ever. #gridresilience #climatechange

Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity, requiring utilities to be proactive about bolstering their grid resiliency. Check out this great article from our team addressing strategies for withstanding these events.

Climate change puts pressure on the rail network as it endures more extreme weather, more frequently. Manual review is laborious, time-consuming and requires scarce, skilled resource. Frazer-Nash Consultancy has developed a web-based weather alerting tool that automates data retrieval, asset risk modelling & categorisation and control center processes to improve response times in emergency situations. Our tool allows you to: • predict how assets are affected by weather, • visualise the risk profile changes over a five-day future forecast • see contextual information, e.g. river gauge levels • understand the long-term erosion predictions for the region surrounding assets. Come and talk to us Rail Live today or tomorrow: Philip Harris, Ashley Stower, Trevor Morgan, Paul Whitcombe, Emma Hodgetts, Richard Wheldon

Resilient Structures for a more reliable grid. #gridhardening #resilience #utilities #ResilientStructures