Analysis of Thermal Buckling Tests on U.S. Railroads

摘要

Thermal buckling of railroad tracks in the lateral plane is an important problem in the design and maintenance of continuous welded rails (CWR). The severity of the problem is manifested through the increasing number of derailments which are attributable to track buckling, indicating a need for developing better control on the allowable, safe temperature increase for CWR track. The experimental work consisted of two major tests at The Plains, VA, conducted as part of a cooperative research program with the Southern Railway System. One test was on tangent track and the other on curved. Both test zones were fully instrumented for compressive forces, temperatures, lateral and longitudinal displacements. Analyses of the two test results, theoretical predictions and conclusions of practical significance are presented.