INVESTIGATING THE GROWTH OF TRANSVERSE FATIGUE CRACKS IN RAILS

ISSLEDOVANI ROSTA POPERECHNYKH USTALOSTNYKH TRESHCHIN V REL'SAKH

The most dangerous of rail flaws are transverse fatigue cracks which develop gradually inside the rail head and can produce brittle fracture under the passage of a train. This study covered qualitative and quantitative analyses of the service life of rails in which such cracks develop. A line with heavy freight traffic was used to measure the growth of such cracks. A laboratory procedure involving a load pulsator then reproduced these conditions. Conclusions: (1) Transverse fatigue cracks develop exponentially under either actual service or laboratory conditions; (2) Variations in the geometry of the fatigue crack as it develops may make it difficult to develop with rail flaw detectors.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Translated in draft form.
• Corporate Authors:

  USSR Ministry of Railways

  Novo-Basmannaya, Ulitsa 2
  Moscow,   USSR 
• Authors:
  • Kolotushkin, S A
  • Poroshin, V L
• Publication Date: 0

Language

• Russian

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 45-47

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cracking; Defects; Detection and identification; Equipment tests; Fatigue strength; Fracture mechanics; Inspection; Laboratories; Life cycle analysis; Rail (Railroads); Traffic density; Ultrasonic tests
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rail flaw detection
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail fissures; Test equipment
• Subject Areas: Design; Operations and Traffic Management; Railroads; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00142601
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Railroad Administration
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 1 1977 12:00AM