CE-363

Lecture 6: Rails
Dr. Ankit Gupta, Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
National Institute of Technology Hamirpur
Lecture Outline
Functions of rails
Type of rail sections
Selection of rail section
Length of rail
Tests on rails
Rail deformation or defects
Rails - Functions
Provide continuous and leveled surface
Smooth surface with lesser friction
Provide lateral guidance to wheels
Bear stresses developed due to vertical
loads, thermal and braking effects
Transmit load to greater area below
Rails - Requirements
Proper Composition of Steel
Economical section
Strength
Durability and
Stiffness
CG near to center of Height
Balancing of tensile and compressive
stresses
Rails Section
Rails - Requirements
Balanced distribution of material in head,
web and foot
Economical and balanced distribution of
metal
Head
Adequate depth (vertical wear),
Wide (wider running surface),
Lateral stiffness

Height
Sufficient vertical stiffness and strength
Rails - Requirements
Economical and balanced distribution of
metal
Web
Sufficiently thick (resist lateral loads)
Adequate flexural rigidity

Foot
wide (stable against over turning),
thickness (withstand vertical and
horizontal forces after allowance for
corrosion)
Rails - Requirements
Economical and balanced distribution of
metal
Fishing angles design of bottom of rail
head and top of rails foot
proper transmission of load from rail to
fish plates.

Fillet radii should be large
To reduce the concentration of stresses
Rails Standard Section
Three types of rails:
Double headed Rail
Dumb-bell section,
Designed to use from both sides
Indentations caused smooth running
difficult
Rails Standard Section
Three types of rails:
Bull headed Rail
Head was made a little thicker and
stronger than the lower part, by adding
more metal to it.
Rails Standard Section
Three types of rails:
Flat footed Rail
Also known as Vignoles rail after the
name of inventor.
Under heavy loads the foot was found
sinking in the wooden sleeper
Requires steel bearing plates for load
distribution.
Most commonly used in India.
Rails Standard Section
Rails Flat Footed Standard Section
FF rail:
Merits
Easy to fix
More economical
Greater strength and stiffness
lateral stability
No keys, chairs required
Simple arrangements at points and
crossings
Rails Flat Footed Standard Section
FF rail:
Demerits
Loosening of fittings
Problems
Straightening of bent rails
Replacing of rails
Dehogging of battered rails
Rails Standard Section Designation
Types of sections in use:
British Railways (RBS sections Revised
British Standard specification)
75R (75 lbs/yd)
90R (90 lbs/yd)
115R (115 lbs/yd)
Rails Standard Section Designation
Types of sections in use:
Indian Railways
60kg/m (UIC section Union
Internationale de Cheminde Fer)
52 kg/m (IRS section Indian Railway
Standard )
Rails Standard Section Designation
Types of sections in use:
Rail section in use on MG
60R (60 lbs/yd)
75R (75 lbs/yd)
90R (90 lbs/yd)

Rail Section in use on NG
50R lbs/yd
Rails Comparison of Standard
Sections
Strength
Stiffness
Laying and relaying
Arrangement at points and crossings,
etc.
Alignment and stability
Initial Cost
Rails Comparison of Standard
Sections
Rigidity
Inspection
Replacement
Maintenance
Suitability
Rails Selection of Section
Various considerations in the selection
of a rail section are:
Heaviest axle load
Maximum permissible speed
Depth of ballast cushion
Type and spacing of sleepers
others
Rails Selection of Section
The relationship between weight of rail
and heaviest axle load, which the rails
have to carry is:
Maximum axle load = 560 x sectional
weight of rail (in lbs/yd or kg/m)
Rail - Brand
IR 90R TISCO-II 1985 Basic BASSEMER
Ind. 90lb/yd Company month year Manufacturing
Rlys (60, 75) Process

IRS52 kg 710 TISCO-II 1991 -> OB
IRS section Grade Comp month year Process
52kg/m of rail of steel
(60-UIC) (or 880) making
Rails Length
Length of rail in use -
12.80 m for BG
11.89 m for MG and NG
Rails Length
Length is restricted due to:
Ease of manufacturing
Cost
Lack of transportation facility
Lifting and handling facility
Expansion gap requirement
Heavy thermal stresses in long rails
Rails 90 UTS section
Strength
Ultimate tensile strength is 90 kg/mm
2

Higher than the conventional rail
sections having UT strength as 72
kg/mm
2

Rails 90 UTS section
Stresses
Allowable shear stress in 90 UTS section
is 22.5 kg/mm
2

This is 18.0 kg/mm
2
in 72 UTS section
Maximum shear stress due to BOXN
section is 20 kg/mm
2

Rails 90 UTS section
Hardness
Better wear resistance due to higher
hardness value
Hardness number 270 BHN
Hardness number for 72 kg/mm
2
UTS
section is 220 BHN
Rails 90 UTS section
Service Life
50% higher than conventional 72 kg/mm
2

UTS section (medium manganese rail)
Service life of 52 kg (72 UTS section) is
350 GMT
Service life of 52 kg (90 UTS section) is
525GMT
Service life of 60 kg (90 kg/mm
2
UTS
section) is 800 GMT
Rails 90 UTS section
Adaptable for High speed tracks or
heavy load corridors
Lesser wear on curves and gradients
Service life is as high as 50 years
Maintenance life is comparable to the
life of other components like concrete
sleepers, elastic fastenings etc.
Rails Tests on Rails
Tests for grade 710 rails
Falling weight test
Chemical analysis test
Tensile test
Rails Tests on Rails
Tests for grade 880 rails
Falling weight test
Chemical analysis test
Tensile test
Microscopic examination
Hardness test (for 10% of the casts)
Hydrogen content in liquid steel test (for
5% casts)
Rails Deformations / Defects
Deformations
Corrugated or Roaring rails
Hogged Rails
Kinks in Rails
Buckling of Rails
Damaged rails
Rail Failures
Wear on Rails
Corrugation
Rail End Batter
Broken Base
Flaking
Piped Rail
Shelling
Others