Surface damage on new AS60 rail caused by wheel slip

The influence of high temperature due to high adhesion condition on rail damage

“…The prediction of WEL formation for these particular cases was confirmed by the experimental investigation conducted by Pal et al [53] on the same Australian standard rail (AS60) utilized in this study. Fig.…”

“…15b), which are consistent with the examination of Carrol et al [34] who examined cracking of a WEL in twin disc experiment. Further metallurgical analysis in [53] indicated that a WEL was the metallurgical feature associated with the surface damage and rail failure caused by severe wheel slip on the rail.…”

Analysis of Structure Transformations in Rail Surface Induced by Plastic Deformation via Barkhausen Noise Emission

“…Bulk, the positions 33 and 39 mm are free of WEL. It was found that W EL has the martensite structure formed after austenitization due to temperature rise caused by frictional heating in the rail-wheel contact areas [1]. Information about martensite structure corresponds with the high hardness of W EL (see Fig.…”

“…W EL as a hard structure may lead to the brittle cracking and subsequent fatigue crack propagation. It was reported [1] that W EL is a product of rolling-contact fatigue caused by the alternating stresses associated with rolling contact bodies. Operation of the rails containing W EL regions might be risky with the respect to possible rails macrocracking initiated by microcracks in the WEL.…”

“…White etching layer (WEL) is a typical defect in the surface region of the rail originating from repetitive and severe plastic deformation [1]. W EL is a generic term for very hard surface layer which appears white on micrographs due to high resistance against etching.…”