DETERMINATION OF STRESS STATE IN CONTINUOUSLY WELDED RAILS. REVISED EDITION

Summarizes findings and conclusions of an investigation of the state of stress in continuously welded rail using two techniques. The first involved acoustic analysis of rail vibration induced by an external excitation, based on the hypothesis that in-situ thermal stress in rail could be obtained from a calibration of its vibrational characteristics against stress, Tests were conducted on whole rail sections on a simulated half-track bed, with excitation of the rail head in vertical and lateral directions and of the web and foot of the rail using a ten-pound hammer. Rail response was measured by an accelerometer positioned opposite the impact point. The second technique involved magneto-elastic calibration of the magnetism of rail steel against applied stress, based on the principle of magneto-elastic interaction between magnetostrictive and elastic lattice strains. This phenomenon produces an electrical pulse called Barkhausen noise. Calibrations of Barkhausen noise levels versus stress were performed on rail samples from five different manufacturers. Field measurements on sections of Quebec Cartier Mining track are also analyzed and presented.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Development Centre

  Complexe Guy Favreau, 200 Dorchester Blvd West, Suite 601
  Montreal, Quebec H2Z 1X4,   Canada 
• Authors:
  • Igwemezie, J O
  • KENNEDY, S L
  • Cai, Z
• Publication Date: 1993

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 61 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accelerometers; Acoustic detectors; Continuous welded rail; Excitation; Magnetometers; Measurement; Noise; Stresses; Thermal stresses
• Uncontrolled Terms: Noise measurement; Stress intensity factors
• Old TRIS Terms: Acoustic detection systems
• Subject Areas: Environment; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00746527
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 15 1998 12:00AM