Proposal for a method verifying fatigue failure of rails on curves

HOSODA, Mitsuru; DESHIMARU, Tadashi · 2025 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.1299/transjsme.24-00257

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

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Summary

This study proposes a method for verifying the fatigue life of rails on curves, addressing a gap in current railway track design standards where such verification is not established. The research is motivated by the need for cost-effective track structures, such as those with enlarged sleeper spacing, which increase rail bending stresses. On curves, lateral forces from vehicle centrifugal effects induce horizontal bending and torsional stresses that combine with vertical wheel loads, potentially accelerating fatigue failure at the rail bottom. The authors aim to define design actions, response estimation methods, and fatigue life prediction techniques specific to curved sections. To determine the design action, the authors estimated lateral forces using a wheel/lateral force estimation formula, varying parameters like curve radius, superelevation, and vehicle speed. They classified curves into three categories based on radius: (i) $R \ge 800$ m, (ii) $800 > R \ge 600$ m, and (iii) $R < 600$ m. By analyzing the probability frequency distribution of the variable lateral force coefficient for an operator’s entire network, they calculated mean and standard deviation values. The resulting coefficients for the mean plus one standard deviation were 0.25 for category (i), 0.30 for category (ii), and 0.35 for category (iii). These values align closely with existing design coefficients for rail fastening systems, validating their use for rail design. For response estimation, the authors developed a Finite Element Method (FEM) model simulating both rails, 15 sleepers, and nonlinear fastening systems. The model accounted for vertical and horizontal bending, torsional bending, and differential lateral forces on high and low rails. The study validated this model by comparing FEM results with field measurements of rail bottom stress taken from service lines. The analysis confirmed that the FEM model can estimate bending stresses at the rail bottom with within 10% accuracy during vehicle passage. This approach improves upon previous methods that often modeled only a single rail or ignored the interaction between opposite rails and sleeper support nonlinearity. The significance of this work lies in providing a generic, evidence-based method for verifying rail fatigue on curves, supporting the design of economical track structures. By establishing reliable lateral force coefficients and accurate stress estimation techniques, the proposed method allows engineers to assess the safety of rails under lateral loading, particularly in scenarios with increased sleeper spacing. This contributes to the broader development of standardized track structure design methods that balance cost efficiency with structural integrity and fatigue resistance.

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• road geometry