Testing of Flash Butt Welded Rail Joints

Abstract

Abstract. This article presents selected aspects of testing flash butt welded rail joints that have a decisive impact on the rails’ operational strength, including cracking in the track. Bending tests of rail joints, fatigue tests, hardness HV30, residual stress results, and microstructure of welded joints are presented. The introduction shows sporadically occurring joint defects revealed on broken fractures related to the technological process of flash butt welding. The above tests were based on the requirements of PN-EN 14587-1:2019-03 [1] and PN-EN 13674-1+A1:2017-07 [2].