Investigation of Restraining Rail Assembly Bolt Failure for Light Rail Track
Publication: Forensic Engineering 2022
ABSTRACT
Restraining rails are commonly used on track at sharp radius curves for light rail transit (LRT) in North America. Recently, an American light rail operator found that bolts fastening restraining rail to the running rail were routinely failing after relatively short service lives. This work presents the results of analyses that were performed to determine the root cause of failure. A metallurgical investigation of the bolts was undertaken that consisted of a surface chemical analysis, visual inspection, and fractographic analysis of the fracture surface. The stress demands on the bolts were examined by performing three-dimensional nonlinear finite element analyses of the restraining rail assemblies. The results suggest that the bolts become vulnerable to high cycle fatigue after loosening. Recommendations are presented for improved performance.
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REFERENCES
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Forensic Engineering 2022
Pages: 268 - 276
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Published online: Nov 2, 2022
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