Non-destructive testing technique is one of the thrust areas in technology improvement and adoption as part of the Indian Railway Corporate Safety Plan. Keeping this in mind, the South Western Railway's Bridge Organisation has set up a testing laboratory at Hubli.

Mr Kuldeep Chaturvedi, General Manager, South Western Railway, speaking after inaugurating the non-destructive testing laboratory, said South Western Railway as part of its modernisation has set up the lab and it is first of its kind in the railways and for the North Karnataka region.

For the laboratory, the Railways has procured equipments such as digital schimidt hammer, corrosion analysis equipment, resistivity meter, rebar locator which will help to decide the strength of concrete and extent of corrosion in reinforcement bars.

Usage of these equipments on the fields, its working principles, applications, effectiveness, and limitations were explained in detail by Dr R.S. Dubey, Chief Bridge Engineer, South Western Railway. “Magnetic particle inspection method uses in magnetic fields and small magnetic particles, such as iron fillings to detect flaws in components.  This method can be used effectively for inspection of steel girders and other bridge parts made of steel, whereas in liquid penetrate inspection method, it is used to detect surface flaws by bleed out of a coloured or fluorescent dye from the law. This technique is based on the ability of a liquid to be drawn into a clean surface breaking flaw by capillary action,” he added.

While speaking on the occasion, Mr D.G. Diwate, Principal Chief Engineer, SWR, stated that these equipments would be helpful to decide the health of the bridges and strengthening measures required in view of the increased axle load in the Indian Railways.

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