INVESTIGATION OF HEAT-AFFECTED ZONES OF THERMITE RAIL WELDINGS

Szabolcs Fischer, Dóra Harangozó, Dalma Németh, Bence Kocsis, Mykola Sysyn, Dmytro Kurhan, András Brautigam

DOI Number
10.22190/FUME221217008F
First page
Last page

Abstract


The paper investigates the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of several rail joints executed by thermite rail welding (TW). The examined rail profile was 54E1 (UIC54). The rail steel categories were different: R260 and R400HT. The welding portions of the TWs fitted R350HT and R260 rail categories with normal welding gaps. The rail pieces were brand new, i.e., without any usage in the railway track. The authors executed Vickers-hardness tests (HV10) and material texture tests on the running surface of the rail head, as well as on slices cut from the rail head. The cutting was performed by the water jet method, five longitudinal direction slices with vertical cutting lines. The considered specimen lengths were 2×70 mm (i.e., 70 mm from the mid-point of the rail joint), however, the depths were 20 mm from the running surface. Therefore, the measuring spaces were 5 mm lengthwise and 2 mm in depth. The variation of the hardness values was determined considering the microstructures of the base steel material and the TW. For comparison, previously measured Elektrothermit SoW-5 and earlier own research were taken into consideration.

Keywords

Thermite rail welding, Heat-affected zone, HAZ, Vickers hardness, Brinell hardness, Microstructure

Full Text:

PDF

References


Dobruszkes, F., 2011, High-speed rail and air transport competition in Western Europe: A supply-oriented perspective, Transport policy, 18(6), pp. 870-879.

Ramazan, B., Mussaliyeva, R., Bitileuova, Z., Naumov, V., Taran, I., 2021, Choosing the logistics chain structure for deliveries of bulk loads: Case study of the Republic Kazakhstan, Naukovyi Visnyk Natsionalnoho Hirnychoho Universytetu, 2021(3), pp. 142-147.

Nugymanova, G., Nurgaliyeva, M., Zhanbirov, Z., Naumov, V., Taran, I., 2021, Choosing a servicing company’s strategy while interacting with freight owners at the road transport market, Naukovyi Visnyk Natsionalnoho Hirnychoho Universytetu, 2021(1), pp. 204-210.

Fischer, S., 2022, Geogrid reinforcement of ballasted railway superstructure for stabilization of the railway track geometry – A case study, Geotextiles and geomembranes, 50(5), pp. 1036-1051.

Šestaková, J., Ižvolt, L. Mečár, M., 2019, Degradation-prediction models of the railway track quality, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 15(2), pp. 115-124.

Dybeł, K., Kampczyk, A., 2022, Sensitivity of Geometric Parameters in the Sustainability Development of Continuous Welded Rail, Acta Technica Jaurinensis, 15(3), pp. 150-161.

Kampczyk, A., Dybeł, K., 2021, Integrating surveying railway special grid pins with terrestrial laser scanning targets for monitoring rail transport infrastructure, Measurement, 170, 108729.

Pultznerová, A., Mečár, M., Šestáková, J., Hodás, S., 2022, Influence of the Condition of the Railway Superstructure on Traffic Noise on the Regional Line, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 18(2), pp. 402-407.

Ahac, M., Ahac, S., Lakušić, S., 2022, Evaluation of non-acoustic properties of traffic noise walls, Građevinar, 74(1), pp. 35-49.

Csortos, G., Augusztinovicz, F., Bocz, P., 2021, Optimal operation of a rail lubrication device with respect to noise reduction and wheel/rail friction coefficient, Acta Technica Jaurinensis, 14(2), pp. 138-154.

Šestáková, J., Matejov, A., Pultznerová, A., 2022, Rehabilitation of railway track quality in relation to diagnostic data, XXX Russian-Polish-Slovak Seminar Theoretical Foundation of Civil Engineering (RSP 2021), Moscow, pp. 197-206.

Kuchak, A.J.T., Marinkovic, D., Zehn, M., 2021, Parametric Investigation of a Rail Damper Design Based on a Lab-Scaled Model, Journal of Vibration Engineering and Technologies, 9(1), pp. 51-60.

Kuchak, A.J.T., Marinkovic, D., Zehn, M., 2020, Finite element model updating - Case study of a rail damper, Structural Engineering and Mechanics, 73(1), pp. 27-35.

Macura, D., Laketić, M., Pamučar, D., Marinković, D., 2022, Risk Analysis Model with Interval Type-2 Fuzzy FMEA – Case Study of Railway Infrastructure Projects in the Republic of Serbia, Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, 19(3), pp. 103-118.

Heyder, R., Girsch, G., 2005, Testing of HSH(R) rails in high-speed tracks to minimise rail damage, Wear, 258(7-8), pp. 1014-1021.

Németh, A., Fischer, S., 2021, Investigation of the glued insulated rail joints applied to CWR tracks, Facta Universitatis,-Series Mechanical Engineering, 19(4), pp. 681-704.

Ilić, N., Jovanović, M.T., Todorović, M., Trtanj, M., Šaponjić, P., 1999, Microstructural and mechanical characterization of postweld heat-treated thermite weld in rails, Materials characterization, 43(4), pp. 243-250.

Josefson, B.L., Ringsberg, J.W., 2009, Assessment of uncertainties in life prediction of fatigue crack initiation and propagation in welded rails, International journal of fatigue, 31(8-9), pp. 1413-1421.

Skyttebol, A., Josefson, B.L., Ringsberg, J.W., 2005, Fatigue crack growth in a welded rail under the influence of residual stresses, Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 72(2), pp. 271-285.

Jezzini-Aouad, M., Flahaut, P., Hariri, S., Zakrzewski, D., Winiar, L., 2010, Improving fatigue performance of alumino-thermic rail welds, Applied Mechanics and Materials, 24-25, pp. 305-310.

Schroeder, L.C., Poirier, D.R., 1984, The mechanical properties of thermite welds in premium alloy rails, Materials science and engineering, 63(1), pp. 1-21.

Schroeder, L.C., Poirier, D.R., 1985, Structure and properties of thermite welds in premium rails, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Research and Development, Washington DC, Final report, No. DOT/FRA/ORD-85/02, pp. 1-110.

Merıç, C., Atık, E., Şahın, S., 2002, Mechanical and metallurgical properties of welding zone in rail welded via thermite process, Science and technology of welding and joining, 7(3), pp. 172-176.

Galay, M.S., Ilinykh, A.S., 2021, Improving the technology of aluminothermic rail welding based on software simulation, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1967(1), 012063.

Porcaro, R.R., Faria, G.L., Godefroid, L.B., Apolonio, G.R., Cândido, L.C., Pinto, E.S., 2019, Microstructure and mechanical properties of a flash butt welded pearlitic rail, Journal of materials processing technology, 270, pp. 20-27.

Sarikavak, Y., Turkbas, O.S., Cogun, C., 2020, Influence of welding on microstructure and strength of rail steel, Construction and Building Materials, 243, 118220.

Tancsics, F., Ibriksz, T., 2020, Determining the optimum heating time of small sized test specimen made from weldable mild steel, IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 903(1), 012033.

European Committee for Standardization, 2020, EN ISO 643:2020, Micrographic determination of the apparent grain size, 28 p.

Liu, Y., Tsakadze, Z., Hoh, H.J., Pang, J.H.L., Christian, I., Ng, T.X., Ng, Y.F., 2018, Mechanical properties and microstructural analysis of rail thermite welding joints, 2018 International Conference on Intelligent Rail Transportation (ICIRT), Singapore, 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIRT.2018.8641675.

Mutton, P.J., Alvarez, E.F., 2004, Failure modes in aluminothermic rail welds under high axle load conditions, Engineering Failure Analysis, 11(2), pp. 151-166.

Kurhan, D.M., Fischer, S., 2022, Modeling of the dynamic rail deflection using elastic wave propagation, Journal of Applied and Computational Mechanics, 8(1), pp. 379-387.

Sysyn, M.P., Nabochenko, O.S., Kovalchuk, V.V., Przybylowicz, M., Fischer, S., 2021, Investigation of interlocking effect of crushed stone ballast during dynamic loading, Reports in Mechanical Engineering, 2(1), pp. 65-76.

Jóvér, V., Gáspár, L., Fischer, S., 2022, Investigation of Tramway Line No. 1, in Budapest, Based on Dynamic Measurements, Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, 19(3), pp. 65-76.

Jóvér, V., Fischer, S., 2022, Statistical analysis of track geometry parameters on tramway line No. 1 in Budapest, Baltic Journal of Road and Bridge Engineering, 17(2), pp. 75-106.

Jóvér, V., Sysyn, M., Liu, J., Fischer, S., 2023, Geometry variation of ballasted railway tracksdue to weather conditions, Naukovyi Visnyk Natsionalnoho Hirnychoho Universytetu, 2023(1), pp. 74-79.

Szalai, S., Kocsis Szürke, S., Harangozó, D., Fischer, S., 2022, Investigation of deformations of a lithium polymer cell using the Digital Image Correlation Method (DICM), Reports in Mechanical Engineering, 3(1), pp. 116-134.

Harangozó, D., Kozma, I., Czinege, I., Szalai, S., 2022, Analysis of inhomogeneous deformation occurring during post-necking phase of tensile test, IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1246(1), 012018.

Szalai, S., Harangozó, D., Czinege, I., 2019, Characterisation of diffuse and local necking of Aluminium alloy sheets using DIC technique, Acta Technica Jaurinensis, 12(3), pp. 191-204.

Szalai, S., Szívós, B.F., Kurhan, D., Németh, A., Sysyn, M., Fischer, S., 2023, Optimization of Surface Preparation and Painting Processes for Railway and Automotive Steel Sheets, Infrastructures, 8(2), 28.

Szalai, S., Fehér, V., Kurhan, D., Németh, A., Sysyn, M., Fischer, S., 2023, Optimization of Surface Cleaning and Painting Methods for DIC Measurements on Automotive and Railway Aluminum Materials, Infrastructures, 8(2), 27.

Szalai, S., Eller, B., Juhász, E., Movahedi Rad, M., Németh, A., Harrach, D., Baranyai, G., Fischer, S., 2022, Investigation of deformations of ballasted railway track during collapse using the Digital Image Correlation Method (DICM), Reports in Mechanical Engineering, 3(1), pp. 168-191.

Messaadi, M., Grossoni, I., Shackleton, P., Shevtsov, I., Bezin, Y., Dollevoet, R., 2021, Rail degradation due to thermite weld discontinuities: Field experience, Engineering Failure Analysis, 128, 105585.

Josefson, B.L., Bisschop, R., Messaadi, M., Hantusch, J., 2020, Residual stresses in thermite welded rails: significance of additional forging, Welding in the World, 64, pp. 1195-1212.

Salehi, I., Kapoor, A., Mutton, P., 2011, Multi-axial fatigue analysis of aluminothermic rail welds under high axle load conditions, International Journal of Fatigue, 33(9), pp. 1324-1336.

Chen, Y., Lawrence, F.V., Barkan, C.P., Dantzig, J.A., 2006, Heat transfer modelling of rail thermite welding, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, 220(3), pp. 207-217.

European Committee for Standardization, 2011, EN 13674-1:2011, Railway applications. Track. Rail. Part 1: Vignole railway rails 46 kg/m and above, 123 p.

Hungarian State Railways, 2010, Welding of railway rails, Hungarian State Railways, Budapest, 102 p. (in Hungarian)

Barna, V., Brautigam, A., Kocsis, B., Harangozó, D., Fischer, S., 2022, Investigation of the Effects of Thermit Welding on the Mechanical Properties of the Rails, Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, 19(3), pp. 37-49.

https://www.gt-railservice.com/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/Schienenverbindung/SOW-5_DE-EN-FR.pdf (last access: 17.12.2022)

European Committee for Standardization, 2018, MSZ EN ISO 6507-1:2018, Metallic materials. Vickers hardness test. Part 1: Test method, 39 p.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN: 0354-2025 (Print)

ISSN: 2335-0164 (Online)

COBISS.SR-ID 98732551

ZDB-ID: 2766459-4