Rail surface crack initiation analysis using multi-scale coupling approach

Abstract

A crossover is a pair of crossings that connects two parallel rail tracks. The utility of a crossover is to provide skylight time for each line in busy track. This speciality involves wheel/crossing interaction mainly in straight direction. On the other hand, extra interruptions are brought into straight lines. The presented study is a part of the ongoing project Structural Health Monitoring System (SHMS) for railway turnouts (TU Delft). The objective is to evaluate the performance of these crossings, then further assess the structural degradation procedure and give advice on maintenance. MEASUREMENT OVERVIEW Field conditionThe crossings are casted manganese steel frogs (1:9) in a double crossover in the railway network in the Netherlands. These frogs are located on the same track line. Trains pass through one frog (Frog 1) in the facing direction and another (Frog 2) in the trailing direction. Therefore, the wheel/rail impact position on Frog 1 is on the wing rail, while on Frog 2 is on the crossing nose. Regarding to the frog number, the train operating velocity on this line is relatively high -140 km/h. The problems observed on these frogs mostly related to rail damage and geometry deterioration. By the start of monitoring, Frog 1 was in normal operation condition, Frog 2 was brand new. ABSTRACT: This paper presented the performance study of two frogs in a double crossover in the railway network in the Netherlands. These frogs are located on the same track line. Each train passes through Frog 1 in the facing direction and Frog 2 in the trailing direction. Both frogs are monitored with ESAH-M crossing dynamic behaviour measurement tool and remote displacement measurement system Video Gauge.Results indicate that Frog 1 experiences high wheel/rail contact force (acceleration) and wear in Frog 2 develops fast. Frog 2 suffers from lack support of ballast, while the potential damage in Frog 1 is mainly related to the rail part.

Measurement of the Geometric Center of a Turnout for the Safety of Railway Infrastructure Using MMS and Total Station

“…In turnout components (e.g., in the crossing), high contact forces are exerted at the wheel-rail contact point through the wheel's impacts on the wing rail and at the nose of the crossing. This results in significant wear and tear [60]. Moreover, there was no ballast, no damage to the rails, and no deterioration in the geometry.…”

“…The video measuring system records the dynamic movements of rails and switch sleepers during the passage of rolling stock. Both of the measuring systems are located off of the turnout, ensuring safe operation and continuous measurement [60].…”

“…The crossing is the part of the turnout where the rails intersect. Crossings are usually subject to rail wear [13,47,60], which is a result of the friction of the surface caused by the wheels of the rolling stock. The rules for obtuse crossing assembly are defined in [77] and refer to the angular position values of the obtuse crossings, which should be placed exactly opposite each other and parallel.…”

Structural Health Monitoring of Railway Transition Zones Using Satellite Radar Data

“…The DIC device used in this study is shown in Figure 4 . This device was successfully used in railway applications such as monitoring turnout crossings [ 61 , 62 ].…”

A Parametric Study on the Fatigue Life of Turnout Crossings using the Finite Element Approach

“…As for the traveling direction, it was observed in the Dutch railway network that it can also have a great effect on the crossing behaviour. So that, in a 1:9 (manganese steel) turnout crossings, fast degradation was observed when the train travelled in trailing direction with the speed of 140km/h [11]. Besides the increased damage to the crossings, considerable geometry degradation was observed in these turnouts.…”