REPORT NO. FRA/ORD-77/16 METHODS FOR JOINING OF RAILS: SURVEY REPORT Daniel Hauser BATTELLE-COLUMBUS LABORATORIES 505 King Avenue Columbus OH 43201 . ~rt~..... ~· . JULY 1977 FINAL REPORT DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE TO THE U.S. PUBLIC THROUGH THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE, SPRINGFIELD, VIRGINIA 22161 Prepared for U.S, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Office of Research and Development Office of Rail Safety Research Washington DC 20590 01-Track& Structures -., NOTICE This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Govern­ ment assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. NOTICE The United States Government does not endorse pro­ ducts or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers' names appear herein solely because they are con­ sidered essential to the object of this report. Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Govemment Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. FRA/ORD-77/16 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date METHODS FOR JOINING OF RAILS: SURVEY REPORT Julv 1977 6. Performing Organization Code 8. Performing Organi zotion Report No. 7. Author's) Daniel Hauser DOT-TSC-FRA-77-7 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Battelle-Columbus Laboratories* RR719/R7321 505 King Avenue 11. Contract or Grant No. Columbus OH 43201 13. Type of Report and Period Cover-ed 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Final Report u.s. Department of Transportation June 1974-Dec. 1975 Federal Railroad Administration Off. of Res. & Dev., Off. of Rail Safety Res. 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Washington DC 20590. 15. Supplementary Notes u.s. Department of Transportation Transportation Systems Center *Under Contract to: Kendall Square Cambridge MA 02142 16. Abstract The performance of track structures depends greatly on the integrity of the connections between rail sections. Because the majority of service and detected rail failures occur at joints, particularly conventional bolted joints, this survey was conducted to review existing practices, examine potential joining methods, and identify promising new methods and modifications of joining methods that can provide improved rail performance and lower fabrication cost. Methods for joining rails in the field as well as in plants by both metallurgical methods (welding and brazing processes) and nonmetallurgical methods (mechanical fastening and adhesive bonding) are reviewed. Joining procedures, inspection methods, laboratory and in-track performance, failure modes, adaptability to shop and field fabrication, personnel skills required, and costs are discussed. Joining methods that warrant additional development are identified and developmental efforts are outlined. 17. Key Words 18. Di stri but ion Statement Rail, Continuous Welded Rail, Rail Joints, Welding, Adhesive Bonding, DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE TO THE U.S. PUBLIC THROUGH THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL Bolting, Rail Joint Properties, INFORMATION SERVICE, SPRINGFIELD, Joint Defects, Service VIRGINIA 22161 Performance 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 164 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72l Reproduction of completed page authorized PREFACE This report presents the results of a program to review the processes and procedures used for joining of railroad rails. This report has been prepared by Battelle-Columbus Laboratories under Contract DSA 900-74-C-0616, Mod. POOOOB for the Department of Trans­ portation, Transportation Systems Center. The program was conducted under the technical direction of Mr. Roger K. Steele, at the Trans- :portation Systems Center. Although a major portion of the program consisted of reviewing available reports, significant contributions were made through discussions with railroad personnel, equipment suppliers, and others. The assistance of those listed below is gratefully acknowledged. A. D. Little, Inc.; R. Manning American Railway Engineering Association; E. W. Hodgkins Association of American Railroads; J. G. Britton; Dr. G. C. Martin, Manager; K. W. Schoeneberg Allegheny Drop Forge Company; R. Fontham The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad; W. S. Autrey; R. C. Mamsheim Battelle-Columbus; D. C. Martin, M. D. Randall, R. M. Evans, R. H. Prause, S. C. Ford Battelle-Frankfurt; Dr. D. Merz Bechtel, Inc.; R. E. Clemons and W. B. Keyser The Belt Railway Company of Chicago; A. B. Hillman Burlington Northern, Inc.; D. V. Sartore Chemetron Railway Products; R. M. Ansel, C. D. Deal iv Chessie System; Mr. R. S. Duff, H. N. Carder, Division Engineer Chicago and Northwestern Railroad; Mr. Ray Snyder DuWel Steel Products Company Erie Lackawanna Railroad Company (now Conrail); R. F. Bush, Chief Engineer A. Galbraith; Consultant, now at Internal Revenue Service. Holland Company, Railweld Division; J. A. Lidell, President Illinois Central Gulf Railroad; A. L. Sams, now at DeLeuw, Cather Co. Intma International, Inc.; R. von Lange The Johnson Rubber Company 3M Company; A. Kovalchuk Missouri Pacific Railroad; E. Franzen Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.; Dr. Shizuo Nakamori Penn Central Transportation Company (now Conrail); B. J. Gordon, R. E. Doughty Pertec, Inc.; K. A. Qureshi Southern Railway Company; C. N. Scott Teleweld, Inc.; C. W. McKee Thermex Metallurgical, Inc.; T. Wooley Union Pacific Railroad Company; R. M. Brown, D. Banghart The literature search for relevant information on rail joining covered primarily the period of 1954-1975 and comprised both manual and computer searches. Manual searches were conducted in the Battelle­ Columbus Laboratories library system, principal railroad and welding industry journals, the U. s. Patent Office, American Society for Metals Metals Abstracts, Engineering Index, and Applied Science and Technology Index. Computer methods were used for the Depart:nent of Defense/National Technical Information Service collections and both manual and computer v searches were made in the Metals and Ceramics Information Center, Railroad Research Information Service, and Transportation Research Information Service literature collections. METRIC CONVERSION FACTORS AIJIJfDiiMitl Convtrsians te Metric Measure• " -: AllllflliMitl Conwenions fre• Metric M••••res " s. • .-., Will .. 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VOlUME VOlUME ~ . ml ... lftillth..... ml Mllhflt•• O.O:J lluid ounc:.s .... labtes....... 15 rnolflhMol'" liMn 2.1 ..... ..""' -·llutCI OUftC.ft, JD mtlhhtet"S ml --:: ~ - ....... 1 ... _.. .. ""' 0.21 I li ..... 0.20 g~~Uons go I c.. mJ cutt.c .,.,..,, ptttts O.t'1 lotews~~-· ,. cubtc IMI h' ..ql MJ 1.] «<lf.,, O.K htl'fS cubic..,.,..,, cub•c ••• ... ... pllons l.l I : h' ··~· CubiC '-· D.O) cutuc met•s m' ,- ·YdJ CubiC .... d. O.JI Cllb•c ,........,, MJ --:: TEMPEIIATUIIE (uoct) ~ ~ TEMPEIIATUIIE (e•oct) 'c c.,._..,. , ., ~ . '" ...... .......... ., -l21 ,........ iltletw C•••••• •c ....., .... ~ ~ ·-- -- ., -l21 .. • ., 52 ta.c !II - -•o o oo 120 100 1'0 ~ zoo~ I ' 1J I I ' • I ' ' ' I ' I ' ' i ' I ' 'I I I ' I I I I I I I J -40 -f() 0 zo 40 10 10 100 ! : •c n •c f ~ o, v u vii TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 1. INTRODUCTION . • • . • • . • • . • • . • . • • • • • . • • • • . • • . • . • . • . 1 2. SUMMARY .••.•.....••..•.•......••••.••••.•.••••.••••.•...•. , • • . 3 3. RAIL JOINTS AND THE ADOPTION OF CONTINUOUS WELDED RAIL........ 7 4. CURRENT RAIL JOINING PROCESSES • • • • . • . • • . • . • • • • • • . • . • • • . • . • . 15 4.1 Mechanical Fastening • • • . • . • • • • • • . • • • . • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • . 16 4.1.1 The Development and Action of the Bolted Rail Joint • . • • . • • . • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • . • • . • • . • • . 16 4.1.2 Bolted Joint Performance • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • . 37 4.1.3 Summary and Recommendations .•...•.••.•.••••••.•.•. 42 4.2 Adhesive Bonding • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • . • . • . • . • . • • • . • . • • . 46 4.2.1 Adhesive-Bonding Procedures •........•••.•••••..•... 46 4.2.2 Mechanical Properties of Adhesive-Bonded Rails ••.. 48 4.2.3 Service Performance of Adhesive-Bonded Joints •..•. 49 4.2.4 Summary and Recommendations ..•.•.....•...•.••.•.•• 53 4. 3 Thermi te Welding • . • • . • . • . • . • . • • • • . • • . • • . • • • • . • • . • • 54 4.3.1 Thermite Welding Procedures •..•.•...•.•...•••.•••• 55 4.3.2 The Cost of Thermite Welds •••.••..•....•.•••.••.•. 62 4.3.3 Mechanical Properties of Thermite-Welded Rails •... 62 4.3.4 Service Performance of Thermite-Welded Rail •.••.•• 68 4.3.5 Summary and Recommendations .•.•...•......•.••.•.•. 70 4. 4 Flash Welding • • • . • . • • • . • . • . • . • . • . • • • . • . • • . • • .