Experimental study of the fatigue characteristics and reliability of continuous welded rails

SARIKAVAK Y., Takeuchi T., Horiuchi T., Goda K.

Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures, vol.43, no.8, pp.1743-1754, 2020 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 43 Issue: 8
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/ffe.13219
  • Journal Name: Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Aerospace Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Communication Abstracts, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex, DIALNET, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.1743-1754
  • Keywords: continuous welded rail (CWR), failure mechanism, fatigue fracture, fatigue life, reliability
  • Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In recent years, joint types in railway superstructure have shifted to continuous welded rails (CWRs), which can be constructed by various welding techniques to form uninterrupted rails several kilometres long. Because of the numerous advantages of this method, CWR systems are highly preferred today for the construction of new railway lines. The increase in the number of trains in operation is inducing fatigue damages, linking to life-threatening risks in the rails as well as in trains' wheels and axles. In this study, CWR specimens formed by the flash butt-welding process are investigated. Specimens extracted from rail sections are subjected to four-point bending fatigue tests to establish S–N curves under various loading levels. The surfaces of those specimens which fail are then investigated in detail in order to determine the initiation points of the failures. The findings provide experimental data on the dynamic life cycle of CWR and identify the failure mechanism of the CWR system.