Development of Improved Rail and Wheel Materials
Abstract:
Recent developments in rail steel technology are summarized in this paper. These developments have been motivated by the economic need to operate at higher axle loads and or speeds. Various laboratory techniques used to assess new steel types and appropriate field trials are presented in detail. Based on these studies, fully pearlitic rail steels have been developed with yield strengths greater than 900 MPa (130 ksi) and good balance of other mechanical properties.
Concurrent with new rail development, new wheel materials have been tested and commercially produced. Because of their improved fracture toughness characteristics, these new wheel materials show a higher resistance to catastrophic brittle fracture.
Keywords:
vanadium, rail wheel.
Author:
S. Marich
Affiiation
BHP Melbourne Research Laboratories, Australia
PDF:
Source:
Vanadium in Rail Steels – Proceedings of Vanitec Seminar in Chicago, 8th Nov. 1979, pp.23-40
PDF Preview:
