Reused rails for underground systems

Dmitry Potapov,Volodymyr Vitolberg,Viacheslav Ovcharenko,Viktor Bulgakov,Danylo Shumyk,G Vatulia,A Plugin,O Darenskyi

doi:10.1051/matecconf/201823001013

Abstract

The structural components of the rail track, including rails, deteriorate in operation. However, some of them retain their operational characteristics and can be reused. This practice has found wide application on Ukrainian railways and shown a lot of self-evident advantages, among which the basic one is a rational use of material and technical means. Besides, development of a used rail system for underground railways may also optimize the track facility system for such specific conditions. The article presents results of the research into the change of the crumbling depth on the roll surface (the main rail defects of underground railways); it allowed the authors to conclude about the possibility to reuse rails for underground systems. Moreover, assessment of interacting forces in the wheel/rail system and the crumbling volume made it possible to determine rational application for used rails. The proposed system takes into account all the features of operating the railway track in underground systems, and also allows more efficient use of the residual rail resource without reducing the necessary level of traffic safety.

Highlights

A long experience in reusing materials of the permanent way on Ukrainian railways has demonstrated a lot of obvious advantages of these engineering solutions
The research conducted [1 - 5] contributed to a considerable increase in the service life of rails due to a detailed study of defect development considering the crumbling dynamics on the rail roll surface
The second stage is characterized by a considerable decrease in crumbling depth development

Summary

Introduction

A long experience in reusing materials of the permanent way on Ukrainian railways has demonstrated a lot of obvious advantages of these engineering solutions. The research conducted [1 - 5] contributed to a considerable increase in the service life of rails due to a detailed study of defect development considering the crumbling dynamics on the rail roll surface (digital code of defect 11.1-2-3 according to [6]). Determination of main groups of defects and damages in rails during 1986-2012 contributed to safe traffic operation due to timely detection of the second group of defects (digital code of defect 21.1-2-3 according to [6]). In order to solve the problem to reuse 12.5-m and 25-m rails for underground railways the authors chose one of the Ukrainian metro systems as the basic enterprise. The basic areas of research were: To determine possibility to reuse rails for main lines considering their operational peculiarities and taking into account the crumbling depth development. The basic areas of research were: To determine possibility to reuse rails for main lines considering their operational peculiarities and taking into account the crumbling depth development. To determine groups by serviceability and fields of application for used rails by assessing interacting forces of the wheel/rail system, and considering the volume of crumbling on the roll surface

Determination of the crumbling depth on the roll surface

Determination of crumbling volumes

Conclusions