Presentation on

Introduction of residual stresses in rail

during rail making process, Probable
causes and Prevention/reduction
techniques.

R.P SINGH
Deputy Manager
RDCIS/Bhilai
Residual Stress

 Residual Stresses are a system of stresses which can

exist in a body when it is free from external forces.

 Residual stresses are elastic stresses. The maximum value

which a residual stress can reach is the Yield strength of
a material.

 Residual Stress in rolled products are generated

whenever it undergoes non-uniform plastic
deformation.

 It occurs due to inhomogeneous change in volume and

shape.
 Rail guides the train wheel and transmits the load of
the train to the ground

 Life of the Rail depends on:

the rate of wear under the action of the wheel
The formation and rate of propagation of fatigue cracks

 Rail fractures under a applied stress when it contains a

defect of a critical size.
Fracture of rails:

 σ applied = σ Train + σ Thermal + σ Residual

 The critical defect size for fracture:

acritical= Q*KIC *2/π *σ2
 KIC is the fracture toughness
 Q : Flaw Shape factor
 As the applied stress increases the critical defect size
decreases
 Residual stress value at foot centre of rail(MPa) :

Sl. No Heat No IRS T-12-2009 EN 13674-2011

1 240706 152.3 230.8
2 240928 177.6 219.2
3 240799 154.5 236.5
4 240321 171.0 181.4
5 240397 154.1 223.4
6 240810 186.6 220.8
7 240634 185.0 221.8
8 240631 186.6 249.1
9 242147 159.1 180.2
10 240259 174.2 204.3

Maximum Stress Value Specified as per Specification:

IRS T -12 -2009 190 MPa
EN 13647 - 2011 250 MPa
Causes of Residual Stresses in Rails
 Production of Rail consists of 3 Steps
 Hot Rolling
 Cooling
 Straightening

 Highest residual stresses is generated in the

“STRAIGHTENING PROCESS”
Need for Straightening…

 Rails are distorted after hot rolling and the subsequent

cooling on a cooling bed.
 Straightness of rail is one of the important factor for the
quality and commercial value.
 Rail Straightness is very important to safety and comfort in
rail traffic.
 Bend End of Rail will create problem in Joining two Rails.
 Straightening Process will redistribute the Residual Stress
formed during cooling Process.
 This process decreases the initial distortion.
Straightening Fundamentals
 During Straightening Process, Rail is
driven through Series of Rolls located
alternatively below and above rail.

 During this movement Rail is bent up

and Down.

Manipulat VRSM
HRSM
or
R R R
2 2 6 8

;
R R R R R R R R
R R
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 R R R R
8 3
1 5 7 9

RRSM IN TOP VIEW

Profile of Residual Stress
 Usual profile of longitudinal stresses after straightening is a C shaped
 Head and Foot are subjected to longitudinal tensile residual stresses
 Web is subjected to compressive forces
 This type of profile is unfavorable in service condition
 Working stress+ Residual Stress can cause crack and growth of crack
by fatigue
Why concern about high residual Stress at foot centre… ?

 Effect of residual stress is smaller in the rail head

than in the rail foot
 Working Stress in the Rail head are compression
stresses
 Working Stress in the Rail Foot are tensile one
so have to be added in the tensile residual stress
 High residual stress will lead to failure of rail
Measurement of Residual Stress in Rails
Destructive Method
 Sample size: 1 to 1.5m long
 Sample preparation and strain gauge pasting
 Strain is measured by strain gauge and other
attachments
 Balancing unit and micro strain indicator after pasting
of strain gauges
 A slice of 60 to 80mm length is cut
 Strain is again measured after cutting.
=E Where,  = micro-strain and E = modulus of
elasticity
Improvement Suggested…
 Non Destructive Methods of Residual Stress
measurement like ultrasonic method and in-situ
portable X-Ray Diffraction(XRD) method

 Instead of C-shaped profile Z-type profile to be

adopted after straightening

 Study the displacements and reactions in the rollers for

different loading cases.

 Controlled Cooling to be adopted for different

portions of Rails.
 Heat Treatment of rails to be given after straightening.