Banedanmark intelligent maintenance and servicing strategy

European Infrastructure Managers (IMs) face major challenges and decisions in asset management. Ageing infrastructure and extreme weather events significantly increase maintenance costs. At the same time, funding budgets are tight. New data technologies are emerging that offer practical solutions to these challenges.

Sensors, drones, cameras mounted on trains, current and voltage measurements, lidar, and radar all collect data more efficiently than traditional inspection methods. Combined with improved data analytics and decision support tools, these technologies are facilitating a shift towards cost-efficient, condition and data-driven maintenance that optimises asset lifetime and enhances infrastructure resilience.

For management, the key questions are: How can the shift begin? What time, budget, and expertise are needed? And when can a return on investment be expected?

In this context, Ramboll supported Banedanmark in identifying the most appropriate measures to optimise asset management in line with these objectives. A benchmarking study was conducted to assess how peer infrastructure managers are using asset condition data. Examples included acceleration sensors on pantographs for catenary inspection, video-based sleeper clip analysis, and electrical current monitoring for intelligent switch diagnostics.

To support decision-making, Ramboll identified measures that:

• Fit with Banedanmark’s current organisational maturity
• Leverage existing in-house expertise or proven market solutions
• Align with Banedanmark’s asset management strategy
• Offer a foreseeable return on investment

An in-depth evaluation of prioritised options was provided, including use cases for key systems. The outputs presented expected cost-benefit impacts, organisational implications, and a roadmap for implementation. This gives Banedanmark’s management a concrete, reliable foundation for deciding on how to introduce or expand condition-based, preventive, and predictive maintenance practices.