CAPABILITY OF FASTENERS TO RESIST RAIL OVERTURNING

The purpose of the investigation was to determine the overturning resistance of the rail fastened to either wood or prestressed concrete ties when subjected to various loading conditions. No effort was made to include the torsional resistance of the rail. The procedure used in testing the rail on the wood ties was accomplished by fastening a short piece of 136 lb. rail and tie plate to a new treated oak tie by four spikes in pre-bored holes. The rail on the prestressed concrete tie was fastened by two bolts and two AREA Specification clips with a 3/16 in. polyethylene plastic pad between the rail and concrete. It was found that rail on the prestressed concrete ties is capable of carrying considerably more lateral load than the rail fastened to wood ties with spikes. An analytical study conducted at the Research Center indicates a definite relation between the wheel lifting off the rail, wheel climbing the rail and the lateral and vertical loads on the rail. The results of the analytical study shown on Fig. 11 indicate that all values of P(sub v)/P(sub L) smaller than 0.78 have no significance as the wheel will climb the rail and thus relieve the lateral load component on the rail. Lateral wheel loads as large as 30,000 lb have been recorded and for this condition, the analytical study indicates the wheel will not climb the rail until the vertical component of the rail load is 23,400 lb or lower. It was concluded that the method of fastening the rail to the prestressed concrete ties, as recommended in the Preliminary Specification for Design, Materials, Construction and Inspection of Prestressed Concrete Ties, is satisfactory for the imposed lateral forces.

• Corporate Authors:

  Association of American Railroads Research Center

  3140 South Federal Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60616
• Publication Date: 1967-11

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 14 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bolts; Clamps; Concrete; Concrete ties; Deflection; Dynamic loads; Fastenings; Loads; Overturning; Rail (Railroads); Railroad ties; Spikes; Technology; Wheel loads; Wood ties
• Uncontrolled Terms: Lateral dynamics; Lateral loads; Vertical loads
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail deflection; Rail overturning; Wheel lift; Wooden cross ties
• Subject Areas: Materials; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00039691
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: ER-77 Tech Rpt
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 5 1976 12:00AM