Tribological aspects of wheel-rail contact: a review of recent experimental research

Three-body abrasive wear of fine pearlite, nanostructured bainite and martensite

Dry rolling/sliding wear of nanostructured bainite

Surface initiated fatigue of pearlitic and bainitic steels under water lubricated rolling/sliding contact

Effect of microstructure on rolling/sliding wear of low carbon bainitic steels

The present situation of high strength rails in Japan is described. Fine pearlitic microstructure is found desirable for both wear resistance and fatigue crack prevention. On the basis of these results a new head-hardened rail has been developed, and a method of improving its weldability is proposed.

Development of wear resistant and anti-shelling high strength rails in Japan

Recently Japanese rail manufacturers have been expected to develop two kinds of new rails: Wear resistant rails for foreign heavy load railways and anti-shelling rails for high speed railways, Shinkansen in Japan. As to the former ones, laboratory works and field tests have proved that high tensile rails with fine pearlitic structure are exceedingly wear resistant. Alloy or slack quenched rails meet this demand and are being manufactured in quantities. Concerning the latter, the first field test is being carried out on four new types of rails, manufactured and laid in Shinkansen for trial. On the other hand, rolling contact fatigue test has shown that steels with higher carbon content and fine pearlitic structure are also excellent in anti-shelling property. A newly developed head-hardened rail possessing fine pearlitic structure is expected to meet these demands. We are now making efforts to improve the weldability of this rail by small addition of alloying elements.

K Sugino

Papers

Development of wear resistant and anti-shelling high strength rails in Japan

Development of wear resistant and anti-shelling high strength rails