Intensity of rail lateral wear in curves depending on operating conditions

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the degree of impact of rail track characteristics on the growth of lateral rail wear in medium- and small-radius curves. The article describes the methodology of in-service observations of rail lateral wear on experimental curves. Two experimental curves with radiuses of 490 m and 400 m were laid to instrumental study of the growth of lateral wear and measuring the parameters of the rail gauge in the process of tonnage running on the I track of Izdrevaya – Zherebtsovo section.

Operational observation data indicate that the rails of category T1 in the outer line of curve 1 (R = 496 m) have been laid in the track since 30.06.2017 and by the time of the survey tonnage was 1546 million tons of gross tonnage. The average value of wear per 100 m section of the circular curve reached δ1 = 10 mm, and the maximum δ_1max = 12 mm. Intensity of lateral wear was γ1 = 0.028 mm/million tons gross, γ_1max = 0.033 mm/million tons gross. In the curve 2 (R = 405 m), the rails of category T1 were laid in the outer strand on 10.12.2019, by the time of the survey the tonnage was 145 million tons gross, with the average value of lateral wear δ2 = 14.1 mm, and maximum δ_2max = 21 mm. The average value of lateral wear intensity here was γ2 = 0.097 mm/million tons gross, and the maximum γ_2max = 0.145 mm/million tons gross. With a decrease in the radius a curve 2 in comparison with the curve 1 by 19 % and an increase in unaccelerated acceleration by 18 %, the average intensity of lateral rail wear in curve 2 was 3.5 times higher, and the maximum – 4.5 times higher. Analysis of the obtained data showed that the determining factor influencing the intensity of rail lateral wear is the radius of the curve and the axle loads of the rolling stock.