FINAL REPORT ON A THREE-DIMENSIONAL PHOTOELASTIC INVESTIGATION OF THE STRESS DISTRIBUTION IN THE HEAD OF A RAILROAD RAIL ALONG LINES PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE RAIL

The complete state of interior principal stresses along critical lines parallel to the axis of the rail have been determined photoleastically in the head of a model of a railroad rail. The curves of the stress distributions revealed several dangerous states of stress which may contribute to, or produce, the shelly failure. The normal stress components alternate between large compressions and relatively small tensions; there exist oblique planes, which are subjected to completely reversed large normal stresses; the range of the alternating shears is plus or minus 35,000 psi approximately, and the endurance limit for completely reversed shear is 37,000 psi; and the planes on which the maximum shears during each loading cycle act, are subjected to fluctuating shears and normal stresses. The range of the variable shear on these planes is at least from 0 to 54,000 psi, which comes dangerously close to the endurance limit of 59,000 psi.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Railway Engineering Association

  59 East Van Buren Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60605
• Authors:
  • Frocht, M M
• Publication Date: 1959

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 951-969
• Serial:
  • AREA BULLETIN
  • Volume: 60
  • Issue Number: 549
  • Publisher: American Railway Engineering Association

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Defects; Deformation curve; Dynamic loads; Failure; Mathematical models; Photoelasticity; Railroad rails; Shear properties; Shelling (Metals); Simulation; Stresses; Technology; Tension
• Uncontrolled Terms: Contact stress; Tensile stress
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Mathematical studies; Photoelastic analysis; Rail failure; Shelling; Shelling (Rails)
• Subject Areas: Materials; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00040580
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM