Rail Profile Selection Method to Reduce Gauge Corner Cracking Initiation

Abstract

Gauge corner cracking (GCC) occurs on heat treated rails on the high rail of curved sections with a radius of 600 to 800 m. Deep GCC propagation may cause rail breakage. It is therefore very important to prevent the occurrence of GCC to ensure safe railway operation. Previous research has proposed a countermeasure method to suppress the occurrence of GCC by applying rail wear profiles to the high rail of curved sections to relieve contact pressure between the wheel/rail. Since the wear development of rails is closely related to wheel/rail contact conditions, rail wear profile prediction becomes complex due to the variety of contact conditions. The aim of this study is to examine the rail cross-sectional profile that is the most effective in suppressing crack initiation for the high rail of curved sections with a radius of 600 to 800 m where the occurrence of GCC is a concern.