Critical areas, both on the railway line and in the surrounding regions, pose significant challenges for railway maintenance. Deterioration in these areas may occur unexpectedly and abruptly, making periodic maintenance plans using inspection vehicles, which are suitable for other railway sections, potentially inadequate. Typically, topography is used for intensive geometric studies of the railway in such scenarios. However, this technology can face limitations in adverse weather conditions, such as rain or airborne dust. Moreover, external geological events, such as rockfalls, can cause infrastructure malfunctions.

This article presents an Internet of Things (IoT) approach, utilizing sensors and networks, as a tool to enable or complement the monitoring of key line geometry parameters in critical areas. Specifically, it details a methodology for extracting geometric parameters of the tracks using IoT-based tiltmeters and provides a case study demonstrating the use of this methodology in combination with topographical methods. Additionally, the article explores a case study of IoT technology applied to monitoring a critical rockfall area, where geotechnical parameters are collected.

IoT technology has proven to be a valuable tool for enhancing railway maintenance efforts in critical areas.

Article in Portuguese