Abstract: A method for determining adjacent railroad tracks in a railroad track environment using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) includes accessing LiDAR point cloud data stored in one or more memory units. The method further includes identifying, by analyzing the LiDAR point cloud data, one or more adjacent railroad tracks within the railroad track environment. Each adjacent railroad track is adjacent to a subject railroad track. The method further includes determining, from a plurality of adjacent railroad track types, an adjacent railroad track type for each of the identified adjacent railroad tracks. The method further includes displaying a graphical user interface on an electronic display. The graphical user interface permits user review of the identified adjacent railroad tracks. The graphical user displays the determined adjacent railroad track type for each particular identified adjacent railroad track and one or more images of the particular adjacent railroad track.

Abstract: A method for identifying railroad track rails and determining railroad track characteristics using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) includes accessing LiDAR point cloud data comprising locations of objects and surfaces within a railroad track environment. The method further includes identifying, using the LiDAR point cloud data, a plurality of rails of a railroad track within the railroad track environment. The method further includes determining a track centerline point using the identified plurality of rails and determining, using the determined track centerline point, a track characteristic of the railroad track. The method further includes displaying a graphical user interface on an electronic display. The graphical user interface displays an image of the identified plurality of rails and the determined track characteristic of the railroad track.

Abstract: A method for determining obstructions in a railroad track environment using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) includes accessing LiDAR point cloud data comprising locations of objects and surfaces within the railroad track environment. The method further includes determining a clearance envelope for a railroad track within the railroad track environment and identifying, using the LiDAR point cloud data, a plurality of obstructions within the railroad track environment that are at least partially located within the determined clearance envelope. The method further includes determining an obstruction type for each of the identified plurality of obstructions and displaying a graphical user interface on an electronic display. The graphical user interface is configured to permit user review of the identified plurality of obstructions. The graphical user interface displays the determined obstruction type for each particular identified obstruction and one or more images of the particular identified obstruction.

Abstract: A method for determining railroad ballast volumes using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) includes accessing LiDAR point cloud data captured using a LiDAR instrument and segmenting a railroad track into a plurality of railroad track segments. The LiDAR point cloud data includes locations of objects and surfaces within a railroad track environment. The method further includes accessing a plurality of ballast profiles for a particular railroad track segment, generating a ballast surface mesh from the plurality of ballast profiles, and determining a portion of the LiDAR point cloud data corresponding to the particular railroad track segment. The method further includes comparing the ballast surface mesh to the determined portion of the LiDAR point cloud data corresponding to the particular railroad track segment, determining, based on the comparison, a ballast volume for the particular railroad track segment, and displaying the ballast volume for the particular railroad track segment on an electronic display.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for determining railroad track locations at risk for buckling includes accessing railroad track data and segmenting a railroad track into a plurality of railroad track segments. The method further includes determining, from the railroad track data, a plurality of track features for each particular railroad track segment. The method further includes determining a priority level for each particular railroad track segment. The priority level indicates a track buckling risk severity for the particular railroad track segment. The priority level is determined using the determined plurality of track features for the particular railroad track segment and a particular rule weight matrix that includes a set of track features and an associated risk weight for each track feature of the set of track features. The method further includes displaying the determined priority levels for the plurality of track segments on an electronic display.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method includes accessing track geometry data for a railroad track. The track geometry data includes historical measurements for a plurality of types of surface conditions of the railroad track over a period of time. The method further includes determining, by analyzing the track geometry data for a particular type of surface condition, a plurality of measurements that exceed a predetermined value. The method further includes identifying, by clustering the plurality of measurements that exceed the predetermined value, a particular track location on the railroad track as a progressive defect location. The method further includes determining, using a remaining useful life model and the track geometry data for the particular type of surface condition at the progressive defect location, a future time when the particular type of surface condition at the progressive defect location will exceed a predetermined limit.

Abstract: Thermoplastic compositions include: a copolyester elastomer including a polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) moiety and an elastomer moiety: and from greater than 0.1 wt % to 9 wt % of at least one brightening agent. The copolyester elastomer is formed according to a process including (1) forming the PBT moiety from a high purity terephthalic moiety: and (2) polymerizing the PBT moiety with the elastomer moiety to form the copolyester elastomer, wherein the high purity terephthalic moiety is derived from post-consumer, pre-consumer or post-industrial recycled (PCR) polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The PBT moiety includes PBT derived from post-consumer, pre-consumer or post-industrial recycled (PCR) polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the high purity terephthalic moiety has a purity of at least about 95%, and the thermoplastic composition has an L* color value of at least 80 as determined according to a CIELab color space standard.

Abstract: Thermoplastic compositions include from about 15 wt % to about 99 wt % of a polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) component; and from 0.01 wt % to about 85 wt % of at least one additional component, wherein: the PBT component comprises PBT derived from a post-consumer or post-industrial recycled (PCR) polyethylene terephthalate (PET) depolymerized to a high purity purified terephthalic acid (PTA) monomer and the thermoplastic composition exhibits an L* color value of at least about 74.

Abstract: Described herein are cold-sintered ceramic polymer composites and processes for making them from inorganic compound starting materials and polymers. The cold sintering process and wide variety of polymers permit the incorporation of diverse polymeric materials into the ceramic.

Abstract: An electrode material comprising (a) a polymeric binder, (b) a lithium-based electrochemically active material, and (c) an electrically conductive filler; wherein the polymeric binder comprises one or more sulfur-based functional groups; and wherein the electrode material is characterized by a binding energy between the one or more sulfur-based functional groups and the lithium-based electrochemically active material of from about 0.3 eV to about 2.5 eV. A method of making a battery electrode comprising (i) mixing a lithium-based electrochemically active material, an electrically conductive filler, and a polymeric binder to form an electrode material, wherein the polymeric binder comprises one or more sulfur-based functional groups, and (ii) contacting the electrode material with a current collector to form the battery electrode.

Abstract: A reactor apparatus for continuous manufacturing of porous carbon material by halogenation of carbides is provided. The reactor apparatus comprises a sample loading assembly, a reactor positioned within a metal housing and in closed circuit communication with the sample loading assembly, and a material receiving assembly. The sample loading assembly loads samples of carbides into the reactor. The metal housing maintains an inert atmosphere around the reactor. The reactor defines one or more process paths for transporting samples of carbides through a halogen atmosphere and/or a post-treatment atmosphere for yielding porous carbon material. Process vents, positioned on the reactor and the metal housing, pass inert gases and reactant gases past the samples of carbides at predetermined temperatures and exit process gases through a condenser unit. The condenser unit traps metal halide by-products.