Low Speed Research Articles

Risk Factors for Bladder Neck Contracture Following Transurethral Resection of the Prostate in Patients with Benign Prostatic Enlargement.

Introduction To investigate the risk factors associated with developing BNC after bipolar TURP. Methods This retrospective cohort study included patients with symptomatic BPE who underwent TURP at our institution between 2010 and 2021. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of patient- and surgery-related factors to BNC. The preoperative urinary catheterization and resection speed with BNC were evaluated by dividing the patients into four groups as follows: (1) with or (2) without preoperative urinary catheterization and (3) high or (4) low resection speed. The risk of BNC3Y between the four groups was compared using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests. Results 2041 patients underwent TURP between 2010 and 2021 were enrolled. Within 3 years of surgery, 306 (15%) patients were diagnosed with BNC. COPD, congestive heart failure, preoperative urinary catheterization, and low resection speed were associated with a higher risk of BNC3Y. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests demonstrated an increased risk of BNC due to preoperative urinary catheterization, regardless of the resection speed. Multivariate analysis revealed that COPD and preoperative urinary catheterization were independent predictive factors for BNC. Conclusions Our study findings indicate that preoperative urinary catheterization and COPD are associated with an increased risk of BNC in patients with BPE undergoing bipolar TURP.

Onboard Data Prioritization Using Multi-Class Image Segmentation for Nanosatellites

Nanosatellites are proliferating as low-cost, dedicated remote sensing opportunities for small nations. However, nanosatellites’ performance as remote sensing platforms is impaired by low downlink speeds, which typically range from 1200 to 9600 bps. Additionally, an estimated 67% of downloaded data are unusable for further applications due to excess cloud cover. To alleviate this issue, we propose an image segmentation and prioritization algorithm to classify and segment the contents of captured images onboard the nanosatellite. This algorithm prioritizes images with clear captures of water bodies and vegetated areas with high downlink priority. This in-orbit organization of images will aid ground station operators with downlinking images suitable for further ground-based remote sensing analysis. The proposed algorithm uses Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models to classify and segment captured image data. In this study, we compare various model architectures and backbone designs for segmentation and assess their performance. The models are trained on a dataset that simulates captured data from nanosatellites and transferred to the satellite hardware to conduct inferences. Ground testing for the satellite has achieved a peak Mean IoU of 75% and an F1 Score of 0.85 for multi-class segmentation. The proposed algorithm is expected to improve data budget downlink efficiency by up to 42% based on validation testing.

Assessment of the impact of 3D printed water-lubricated cutless bearings material on vibration parameters.

The tested bearings were subjected to equal loads and rotational speeds, using water as the lubricant. Analysis showed that they achieved the best vibration damping at lower speeds, between 600 and 1100 rpm. Comparative studies of bearings made of different materials, such as available on the market bearings made of rubber, bearings printed with a 3D printer from PETG, PLA, ABS or Tribo filament materials, revealed differences in their vibration damping ability and operational stability. Conclusions from the study suggest that higher vibration acceleration may increase the radius of the trajectory, which may affect the function and performance of the bearings. The importance of the operational stability of water-lubricated plain bearings cannot be assessed solely on the basis of the RMS of vibration acceleration or trajectory radius. Both of these parameters are crucial from the user's point of view, especially in the context of various applications such as electric boats.

Optically controlled variable damping system based on PLZT ceramic/ERF in rectangular microchannel

Variable damping control technology based on intelligent materials of electromagnetic excitation has been widely used in the field of (semi-) active vibration control and fluid control. Unfortunately, a major drawback is the electromagnetic noise interference and low response speed. In this paper, a new optically controlled variable damping system based on PLZT ceramic/electrorheological fluid (ERF) is proposed. The mathematical models of the photovoltage generated by PLZT ceramics and the pressure difference between the two ends of the microchannel are established and verified by numerical simulation in COMSOL Multiphysics. Meanwhile, with the increase of light intensity, liquid flow rate and decrease of microchannel height and width, the pressure difference shows an uptrend. Optically controlled variable damping system based on PLZT ceramic/ERF is a control method with the advantages of a clean excitation source, remote control, no electromagnetic interference, and fast response speed, and has a good application prospect in the field of vibration control and fluid control.

Rheology of a crowd: from faster-is-slower to shear thickening

The evacuation speed of pedestrians through bottlenecks usually leads to the faster-is-slower (FIS) phenomenon, which relies on frictional clogging and clusters’ size. However, less attention is given in literature to the rheology of pedestrian crowds and the forces ruling their dynamics. Here, we establish a link between the faster-is-slower phenomenon (FIS) in pedestrian crowds and the shear-thickening rheological behavior of (non)Brownian suspensions. We analyze pedestrian room egress through particle-based simulations using the Social Force Model, revealing an S-shaped shear rate dependency characteristic of discontinuous shear thickening (DST). At the same time, the crowd flow viscosity near the exit exhibits a steep increase coinciding with FIS occurrence, establishing a correlation between FIS and shear thickening. Our results prove that crowd evacuations are governed by two distinct critical jamming densities, one frictional and another frictionless, and that contact forces alone cannot lead to FIS, but social force interactions are necessary to avoid contacts at low desired speeds. Our results point at the suitability of (non)Brownian suspensions as models that provide an original rheological perspective to pedestrian dynamics.

Online identification and feed-forward compensation of nonlinear friction in servo system based on RBF neural network model

In this paper, an online identification and compensation method of nonlinear friction based on radial basis function (RBF) neural network model is proposed for the influence of nonlinear friction on machining accuracy in the low speed process of servo feed system of CNC machine tools. First, a three-layer single-input-output RBF neural network model is established for describing the nonlinear friction of servo feeding system. Second, the neural network online learning algorithm is improved based on adaptive gain, which improves the stability and accuracy of the algorithm. Finally, experiments were carried out on a three-axis milling machine to compensate the friction in the servo feed system in real time based on the online identification results. The results show that the method can effectively improve the online identification accuracy and convergence rate, and effectively improved the low-speed performance of the servo feed system.

Progressive overload in cardiorespiratory exercise training for young and old: Is increasing duration or intensity of exercise more important?

People undertake endurance training to improve their health and cardio-respiratory fitness. Subsequent cardio-respiratory and skeletal muscle aerobic metabolic adaptations are gauged by improvements in maximum or peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak) and the blood lactate inflection point or threshold during incremental exercise – (LIP). To further improve physiological capability, subsequent homoeostatic disturbances from exercise should be progressively greater in succeeding exercise sessions. Therefore, exercise duration, frequency or intensity should be progressively increased during a training regimen to ensure adaptation potential is realized. A progressive increase in training workload is termed “progressive overload”. Despite the universal acknowledgment of the importance of progressive overload, it is unclear if systematically progressing altering either exercise intensity or duration (or distance covered) affect cardio-respiratory gains differently in young and older populations. As running faster results in higher heart rates and greater skeletal muscle metabolic stress than running the same distance at a lower speed, in this hypothesis we postulate that progressively increasing exercise run intensity will result in greater mean and higher incidence of V̇O2peak and LIP gains in young adults (<50 years). However, the mechanisms that initiate improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness and skeletal muscle aerobic function may be different in older adults due to the inevitable aging decline in cardio-vascular function and mechanical and morphological properties of muscle–tendon units. In older adults (>60 years) we hypothesize progressively increasing run distance while maintaining the same speed will just be as effective as to progressively increasing speed to improve V̇O2peak and LIP. To test these hypotheses, we propose a study that compares progressively increasing run intensity to a treatment of progressive matched run distance where speed remains constant in young and old adults.

Constitutive modelling and systematic evaluation of asphalt concrete’s viscoelastic tension-compression asymmetry effect on pavement performance

ABSTRACT Asphalt concrete (AC) exhibits significant tension-compression (TC) asymmetry, which is currently not considered in pavement design. This study develops a novel temperature-dependent dual viscoelastic model to quantitatively capture the viscoelastic behaviour of AC. Unlike the conventional viscoelastic constitutive model, the proposed model decomposes strain into tensile and compressive components to characterise AC’s TC asymmetry. Additionally, a systematic modelling framework with intrinsic TC asymmetry is developed for the first time to predict the response of pavement under moving tire load. The results illustrate that implementing the proposed dual viscoelastic model enlarges both the vertical deformation of pavements and the tensile and shear strains in the AC layers, bringing it closer to the realistic scenario compared to the conventional model that only considers compression properties. Furthermore, high temperatures and low vehicular speeds exacerbate the substantial effects of AC’s TC asymmetry on asphalt pavement. This study provides a valuable method to capture AC’s TC asymmetry and predict pavement response more accurately, giving better insight into pavement response and enhancing pavement design and maintenance.

Low grip strength and gait speed as markers of dependence regarding basic activities of daily living: the FIBRA study

Low grip strength and gait speed as markers of dependence regarding basic activities of daily living: the FIBRA study

Muscle fibre morphometric analysis (MusMA) correlates with muscle function and cardiovascular risk prognosis.

Morphometry of striated muscle fibres is critical for monitoring muscle health and function. Here, we evaluated functional parameters of skeletal and cardiac striated muscle in two experimental models using the Morphometric Analysis of Muscle Fibre tool (MusMA). The collagen-induced arthritis model was used to evaluate the function of skeletal striated muscle and the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease model was used for cardiac striated muscle analysis. After euthanasia, we used haeamatoxylin and eosin stained sections of skeletal and cardiac muscle to perform muscle fibre segmentation and morphometric analysis. Morphometric analysis classified muscle fibres into six subpopulations: normal, regular hypertrophic, irregular hypertrophic, irregular, irregular atrophic and regular atrophic. The percentage of atrophic fibres was associated with lower walking speed (p = 0.009) and lower body weight (p = 0.026), respectively. Fibres categorized as normal were associated with maximum grip strength (p < 0.001) and higher march speed (p < 0.001). In the evaluation of cardiac striated muscle fibres, the percentage of normal cardiomyocytes negatively correlated with cardiovascular risk markers such as the presence of abdominal adipose tissue (p = .003), miR-33a expression (p = .001) and the expression of miR-126 (p = .042) Furthermore, the percentage of atrophic cardiomyocytes correlated significantly with the Castelli risk index II (p = .014). MusMA is a simple and objective tool that allows the screening of striated muscle fibre morphometry, which can complement the diagnosis of muscle diseases while providing functional and prognostic information in basic and clinical research.

Quantitative analysis of asphalt concrete’s tension-compression asymmetry effects on pavement response through 3D numerical modeling with dual viscoelastic model

Asphalt concrete (AC) exhibits noticeable tension-compression (TC) asymmetry, but it is typically considered isotropic in pavement design. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the effect of AC’s TC asymmetry on pavement response under loading through numerical modeling. To achieve this objective, a temperature-dependent dual viscoelastic constitutive model was applied to incorporate AC’s TC asymmetry into pavement modeling. Besides, three pavement structure models, including one with thick AC layers, one with thin AC layers, and one with a Portland cement concrete (PCC) base, were developed. The responses of the three pavement structures under traffic and environmental loading conditions were simulated. Modeling results showed that AC’s TC asymmetry can significantly increase the vertical strain in AC, leading to higher stress concentration and larger deformation in AC layers. Unlike the conventional understanding that tensile strain concentrates at the bottom of AC layers, high tensile strains were observed in the top AC layers, especially for the pavement with thick AC layers or a PCC base, which may lead to top-down cracking. High tensile strains were observed on the granular subbase for the pavement with thin AC layers, which may induce bottom-up cracking. Besides, AC’s TC asymmetry also significantly increases the shear strains, especially the horizontal shear strain in AC layers, which may result in debonding and shoving distresses in AC layers. It was also noticed that the pavement response highly depends on its temperature and vehicular speed. A higher temperature or lower vehicular speed leads to more significant AC’s TC asymmetry as well as its effects on asphalt pavement’s response. The outcomes of this study are expected to help enhance the design and maintenance of more durable asphalt pavement.

Examining childhood experiences and personality functioning as potential predictors for the speed of recovery during psychotherapy of patients with anxiety disorders

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences were previously identified as relevant risk factors for the development of anxiety disorders. Furthermore, anxiety disorders were shown to be associated with impairments of personality functioning. The objective of this study was to investigate adverse and protective childhood experiences as well as personality functioning, as defined by the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis system, as potential predictors for the speed of recovery during psychotherapy for patients with anxiety disorders.MethodsThe sample consisted of n = 312 completed psychotherapies. The speed of recovery, defined as symptom abatement over time, was calculated using a two-stage hierarchical linear model. The effects of adverse and protective childhood experiences as well as personality functioning on the speed of recovery during psychotherapy were then examined using a structural equation model.ResultsThe presence of adverse childhood experiences predicted a lower speed of recovery during psychotherapy. In addition, a higher number of adverse childhood experiences was associated with greater impairments in the abilities of perception and regulation as dimensions of personality functioning. A higher number of protective childhood experiences was associated with fewer impairments in the communication and attachment dimensions. Impairments in personality functioning in patients with anxiety disorders did not predict the speed of recovery during psychotherapy.ConclusionsAmong patients with anxiety disorders, adverse childhood experiences lead to a lower speed of recovery during psychotherapy. Therefore, childhood adversity should be routinely assessed before and thoroughly addressed during psychotherapy in patients with anxiety disorders.

A novel controllable capacitor commutation based superconducting hybrid direct current breaker

Featuring low power loss and high reliability, voltage source converter medium voltage direct current (VSC-MVDC) systems have been widely employed for grid-tied renewable energy applications. To maintain high operational safety, circuit breakers are needed to isolate faulted powerlines by comprehensively considering response speed and installation cost. Research efforts have been put to realizing DC fault isolation by coordinating resistive type superconducting fault current limiter (R-SFCL) and integrated-gate-commutated-thyristor (IGCT) based hybrid DC circuit breaker. In this paper, a controllable current commutation based superconducting DC circuit breaker (CCCB-SDCCB) is proposed. By integrating R-SFCL with IGCT based hybrid DC circuit breakers, the current interrupting capacity can be greatly enlarged with the advantage of low cost and fast speed, and hence the overall cost for suppress large fault currents can be greatly reduced for MVDC systems. In addition, a new current injection circuit branch using H-bridge structure is designed to recycle the residual capacitor voltage from the previous fault stage to trigger the IGCTs without the capacitor pre-charging process. Simulation results show that the fault current can be successfully suppressed from 24.2 to 2.1 kA and fully interrupted within 4.11 ms by the proposed CCCB-SDCCB.

Impact of oil supply conditions on water lubrication assisted with minimal secondary lubricating medium

Abstract Previous research has revealed that introducing a secondary lubricating medium can temporarily enhance water-lubricated bearing performance, thereby reducing the risk of lubrication failure under challenging conditions. This study aims to identify the optimal injection point for the secondary lubricating medium and evaluates oil supply rate effects. Experiments are conducted using a block-on-ring test rig, complemented by CFD simulations to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Three oil supply settings, upstream, inlet and outlet of the contact region, are compared. Results shows that upstream oil supply led to a lower critical speed at which the added oil loses any effect compared to the inlet oil supply and outlet oil supply. The effect of oil supply rates on friction reduction varies among the oil supply settings and ring rotational speeds. In conclusion, the most effective oil supply setting positions the injector at the outlet of the contact region, outperforming placement at the entrance of the contact region.

Effects of Ethanol addition to Diesel-Biodiesel blends on the CI engine characteristics

This research work investigates the effects of adding ethanol to biodiesel-diesel blends on the performance and emissions of a single-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled compression-ignition engine. The engine was half loaded within a speed range 1000-2500 rpm. Four different fuel blends are considered: B0 (no biodiesel or ethanol), B10 (10% biodiesel), B10E2.5 (10% biodiesel with 2.5% ethanol), and B10E5 (10% biodiesel with 5% ethanol). The findings show that adding biodiesel slightly affects the engine power at low and medium speeds but increases power by approximately 6% at high speeds. Ethanol addition has a more significant impact, with an increase in engine power of 16% at 1700 rpm and 13% at 2500 rpm for 2.5% and 5% ethanol blends, respectively. All blends show an increase in brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) compared to B0, with the maximum enhancement observed in B10 with an average increase of 13% across all speeds. Specific fuel consumption is reduced with both biodiesel and ethanol addition, with a slight advantage for biodiesel, particularly at low and medium speeds. Thermal efficiency shows a reverse behaviour, with a small negative impact of ethanol addition. Biodiesel addition significantly increases carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, reaching an average of 190% across all speeds. However, adding ethanol helps mitigate this increase, especially at low and medium speeds, with an average decrease of 32% for 2.5% ethanol blend compared to B0. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions are reduced with biodiesel addition, and further reduced with ethanol addition. Overall, CO2 and NOx emissions are reduced with both biodiesel and ethanol addition.

Increasing the efficiency of the automotive generator due to active rectification

Problem. Increasing fuel economy requirements for modern vehicles lead to an increase in their electrification. The rise in the number of electrical systems leads to a higher load on the electrical power supply system, with the vehicle's power load reaching 2-3 kW. Leading automobile companies have begun serial production of vehicles with the new 12/48 V power supply voltage standard. The traditional alternator used today is a synchronous alternator, and rectifier diodes are used to convert the generated AC to DC to charge the battery, which is inefficient. A study of losses in an automobile alternator shows that the diode rectifier creates a significant portion of the machine's losses at low speeds, resulting in increased fuel consumption. The solution to this problem is to use a synchronous rectifier to replace traditional rectifier diodes, thus improving the efficiency of the AC/DC rectifier. Goal: To improve the economic and environmental characteristics of a mild hybrid vehicle through the use of a synchronous two-semi-periodic rectifier with a midpoint in the car generator. Methodology: Analytical methods are used to calculate energy losses on diodes and in the phase windings of the generator when employing a two-semiperiod rectifier with a midpoint, compared to a bridge rectifier. Results: The structure, functions, and operation modes of the synchronous rectification system are considered. The effect of synchronous rectification on the generator efficiency of a mild hybrid vehicle is analyzed. It was determined which configurations of synchronous rectification are more effective from the standpoint of energy saving and under which operating conditions. It was determined that in a two-semiperiod rectifier with a midpoint, compared to a bridge rectifier, there will be the same heating of the phase windings and 2 times fewer losses on the diodes. Practical value: A version of the bridge synchronous rectification system of the 48 V generator for a mild hybrid vehicle using MOSFET transistors and specialized control IC is proposed. A synchronous rectification system and its circuit implementation for a 12 V generator based on a two-semi-periodic rectifier scheme with a midpoint is proposed, which allows increasing the energy efficiency and economy of the automobile generator.

Spatio-temporal Analysis of the factors affecting NOx concentration during the evaluation cycle of high pollution episodes in Tehran metropolitan

Tehran, the capital of Iran, experiences high levels of pollution, particularly during the cold seasons. Recent studies have shown an increase in the concentration of nitrogen compounds in Tehran. However, the role of advection, deposition, vertical diffusion processes and chemical conversion of NOx in this region requires further investigation. In this study, The Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) was employed to numerically simulate each of these processes during a severe pollution episode in winter from November 28, 2021, to December 8, 2021. During this high pollution episode, the weather conditions were calm, and based on the Air Quality Index (AQI), the air quality was unhealthy for sensitive groups. The presence of a ridge at the 500 hPa level, the placement of a low-level high-pressure cell over the region, and consequently, atmospheric subsidence and low wind speed create favorable conditions for severe pollution events in Tehran. Additionally, temperature inversion during the night and a decrease in the boundary layer height contribute to increased surface NOx concentration during this period. When comparing different processes influencing NOx concentrations, it has been observed that advection has the most significant impact, while dry deposition and chemical conversion have the least effect. On stable days advection increases NOx concentration in central and northeast of Tehran urban area during daytime. The maximum vertical diffusion is observed in the southern and western regions, corresponding to the emission pattern of NO and NO2. The examination of the vertical profile of advection and vertical diffusion shows that vertical diffusion dominates near the surface layer, while advection dominates at higher altitudes in terms of NOx concentration changes. Under unstable conditions (Dec-02), with arrival of the cold front and the influence of convective clouds, the impact of convective transport becomes more pronounced in reducing NOx concentrations in the southern and central regions of Tehran urban area. The highest NOx deposition is observed in the early morning in the southern and southwestern suburban areas of Tehran, correlating with wind direction variations, NOx concentration, and vegetation coverage. The results indicate that nearly 98% of the total NOy deposition (dry and wet deposition of NO, NO2, HNO3, and NO3) in Tehran's urban and suburban area is attributed to dry deposition of NO2.

Dynamic damage and fracture mechanism of curved ripper cutting reinforced concrete composites: Numerical simulation combined with engineering practice

Shield tunnels inevitably cross existing structures like reinforced concrete pile foundations and concrete walls due to the spatial interlocking of underground structures in the construction process. The objective of minimizing cutter damage during the cutting of reinforced concrete pile foundations is widely pursued in engineering. In this study, a numerical model of curved ripper cutting reinforced concrete composites was established, with the engineering background of Nanjing Metro Line 10 shield tunnel crossing the pile foundation of Youth River Bridge. The dynamic damage and fracture of reinforced concrete composites under the cutting of single, double, and multiple rippers were comprehensively investigated. The effects of the operating parameters and geometric parameters on the cutting performance were discussed. Finally, a statistical analysis was carried out to evaluate the damage of 148 rippers and the fracture of rebar in an actual engineering project. The simulation results reveal that coordinated cutting of five rippers has optimized the fracture mechanism of the rebar, weakening the compression effect between the ripper and the rebar, and highlighting the tensile fracture of the rebar. It is appropriate to set the alloy blade angle at 90° and the blade width at 10 mm for practical engineering applications. The penetration has a significantly greater influence compared to cutting speed. In practical engineering, adopting a low penetration and high rotation speed grinding mode is advantageous for reducing blade fractures. The central fishtail cutter and the rippers in the outer area of the cutterhead are more prone to damage during the pile cutting process and warrant additional reinforcement measures. The findings provide comprehensive and innovative insights into shield cutting reinforced concrete pile foundations.

Rotary-wing drone-induced flow – comparison of simulations with lidar measurements

Abstract. Ultrasonic anemometers mounted on rotary-wing drones have the potential to provide a cost-efficient alternative to the classical meteorological mast-mounted counterpart for atmospheric boundary layer research. However, the propeller-induced flow may degrade the accuracy of free-stream wind velocity measurements by wind sensors mounted on drones – a fact that needs to be investigated for optimal sensor placement. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are an alternative to experiments for studying characteristics of the propeller-induced flow but require validation. Therefore, we performed an experiment using three short-range continuous-wave Doppler lidars (light detection and ranging; DTU WindScanners) to measure the complex and turbulent three-dimensional wind field around a hovering drone at low ambient wind speeds. Good agreement is found between experimental results and those obtained using CFD simulations under similar conditions. Both methods conclude that the disturbance zone (defined as a relative deviation from the mean free-stream velocity by more than 1 %) on a horizontal plane located at 1 D (rotor diameter D of 0.71 m) below the drone extends about 2.8 D upstream from the drone center for the horizontal wind velocity and more than 7 D for the vertical wind velocity. By comparing wind velocities along horizontal lines in the upstream direction, we find that the velocity difference between the two methods is ≤ 0.1 m s−1 (less than a 4 % difference relative to the free-stream velocity) in most cases. Both the plane and line scan results validate the reliability of the simulations. Furthermore, simulations of flow patterns in a vertical plane at the ambient speed of 1.3 m s−1 indicate that it is difficult to accurately measure the vertical wind component with less than a 1 % distortion using drone-mounted sonic anemometers.

Determination of OCS Mast Offset in Johore Bahru Sentral for Gemas-Johor Electrified Double Track Project

The Gemas – Johor Bahru Electrified Double Track Project (GJBEDTP) is the most recent railway electrification. GJBEDTP runs from Gemas Railway Station to Johore Bahru (JB) Sentral. Since the JB Sentral station platform track is existing, it cannot achieve the minimal offset in the client's Statement of Needs (SON). The station canopy's acting load capacity is limited, so it cannot support the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE). Malaysia's standard offset value was 3.0 m, while the KTMB guideline's maximum offset value is 3.60 m and the minimum is 2.60 m. Thus, this research investigates the concrete mast offset that should be used when track separation is lower than standard. JB Sentral architecture data was collected to evaluate the mast offset. Sicat Master simulation and a cross-sectional diagram can be used to determine the proper minimum offset from the data collected. The results show that the mast at the centre of the two tracks can achieve clearances with the minimum offset of 1.80 m from the track centreline to the concrete mast face. These results also show that tangent track alignment allows a minimum offset of 1.80 m at a lower train speed.