The Marseille - Ventimiglia railway line, a strategic axis of cross-border mobility, presented major technical challenges. Until now, the track geometry was carried out manually, an extremely time-consuming and unsustainable method to meet the deadlines set by the ERTMS project. Furthermore, this analysis requires specific savoir-faire from railway track experts, who are rarely available.
Analyzing, modeling and validating the plan axis and the longitudinal profiles required months, even years of work, delaying critical decision-making and increasing costs.

It is in this context of technical and technological challenge that TheCrossProduct has developed an innovative automated software to analyze the geometry of railway track axis, capable of generating precise models of horizontal and vertical alignments in both plan and profile views in just a few minutes. Thanks to this cutting-edge technology, the complete layout of the Cannes-Grasse line, pilot line of the HPMV (High Performance Marseille Vintimille) project, was able to be modeled quickly, providing files in the standardized LandXML format. An exceptional time saving: Where previously several weeks of manual work were required, TheCrossProduct's solution performs the same task in a few minutes.

This solution not only reproduces the railway layout: it also allows for the instant identification of existing non-conformities and defects. Engineers can thus analyse the data at a glance, significantly reducing diagnostic and intervention times.

SNCF Réseau is more than won over by the results obtained. Thanks to TheCrossProduct, it has a strategic tool to achieve its modernization and compliance objectives. The collaboration has been a real success, consolidating a relationship of trust and paving the way for new innovative projects...

A distribution of strategic skills

The ARA project was structured into two key stages which highlight the complementary expertise between TheCrossProduct and setec:

1. 3D data extraction and point cloud analysis by TheCrossProduct
   TCP took charge of the first crucial step of the project: the extraction and automated processing of data from 3D point clouds. TheCrossProduct’s expertise in this field made it possible to achieve:
   
   • High-precision measurements and modeling, including track widths, platform slopes, safety barriers;
   • A reverse engineering of the road axis alignments : horizontal and vertical alignements have been automatically computed
   • Precise gauge studies to check the heights under structures and gantries;
2. Road engineering analysis and compliance by setec international
   Armed with the data extracted by TheCrossProduct, setec teams took over to conduct the essential engineering analyses, including:
   
   • The study of the conformity of the infrastructure to the standards in force;
   • Identification of adaptations needed to improve safety and efficiency;
   • A detailed view of the state of the infrastructure and the interventions to be considered.

Automated Reverse Engineering by TheCrossProduct

TheCrossProduct, recognized for its expertise in automated processing of 3D LiDAR data in highway and railway environments, provides an automated reverse engineering solution for the needs of Geograma and Spanish roads…

Thanks to a powerful algorithm combining machine learning and high-precision geometric analysis, our software is capable of:

• Automatically calculate the horizontal and vertical alignments of a road network from the road axis.
• Deliver results with unmatched accuracy, even on roads with complex alignments.
• To accomplish this titanic task in just a few minutes, where entire days were previously required.

A Technological and Technical Revolution

This project is more than just a productivity improvement. It is a revolutionary step forward for the road infrastructure sector. By solving the technological challenge of automating large-scale road reverse engineering, TheCrossProduct opens up new possibilities:

1. Considerable Time Savings
   Thousands of miles of roads can now be analyzed in days, instead of years.
2. Operations optimization
   The time saved on the reverse engineering part allows the layout experts to concentrate more on the analysis and recommendation part, in order to optimize operations.
3. Exceptional Precision
   The technology ensures accurate and reliable results, essential for strategic infrastructure decisions.
4. Scalability
   This technology is the solution to the problem of large-scale projects, which were previously impossible to carry out. The solution can be adapted to other major road networks, offering opportunities on a global scale.

Concrete Results

For Geograma, the results speak for themselves. With TheCrossProduct solution, they can:

• Drastically speed up their processes.
• To provide their customers with comprehensive geometric data of unmatched quality.
• Positioning ourselves as leaders in the analysis of road infrastructures in Spain.

The collaboration between TheCrossProduct and Geograma is proof that 3D LiDAR technology and business expertise can drastically improve infrastructure management. By automating a crucial process on a large scale, TheCrossProduct has once again demonstrated its role as a technology leader, paving the way for a future where road infrastructure management will be smarter, faster and more efficient.