Short pitch corrugation mitigation by rail constraint design

Short pitch corrugation is a quasi-periodic rail defect that induces a high level of noise and accelerates track degradation. This paper proposes a methodology to mitigate short pitch corrugation by rail constraint design, including four steps. In Step 1, corrugation is numerically reproduced by employing a three-dimensional (3D) finite...

Experimental study on the development mechanism of short pitch corrugation using a downscale V-Track test rig

This paper presents an experimental study on the development mechanism of short pitch corrugation using an innovative downscale V-Track test rig. Rail corrugation is reproduced in the V-Track with two wavelengths of 6.4 mm and 8.9 mm. Based on the measured wheel-rail contact forces, track dynamic behaviors, and observations, the consistent...

Design, calibration and validation of a wheel-rail contact force measurement system in V-Track

An innovative downscale test rig called V-Track has been constructed for wheel-rail contact experiments under impact loading conditions. In this paper, a force measurement system termed a dynamometer was developed in V-Track to measure the wheel-rail contact forces. The dynamometer consists of four 3-component piezoelectric force sensors and...

Pre-cracking development of weld-induced squats due to plastic deformation: Five-year field monitoring and numerical analysis

Weld-induced squats are a major damage type in high-speed railways as well as in conventional railways. They incur high maintenance costs and endanger operational safety. This paper first presents and analyzes five-year continual field monitoring observations and measurements of squats at rail welds. A hypothesis of the formation and development...