Assessing the deflection behaviour of mechanical and insulated rail joints through finite element analysis

Rail joints constitute a weak component in the railway system. In this paper three- dimensional (3D) finite element analyses (FEA) are carried out to study the structural deflection performance of rail joints under a fatigue static test through vertical stiffness assessment. Four different types of 4-bolted joints are investigated under a dynamically enhanced static load including a glued insulated rail joint (IRJ), a dry encapsulated IRJ, a dry non-glued IRJ and a mechanical RJ. The analysis focused on the accurate simulation of the contact types between the interfaces of rail joint components, namely among the rail, fishplate faces, bolts, insulating materials and on the effect of the elastic supporting structure of the joint on the overall joint deflection. The effect of bolt pretension is included in the model. The vertical displacement of IRJs is measured experimentally both by dial gauges and Video technique both in laboratory and in field. The numerical modelling investigated the effect of different contact types on the interfaces of the rail joint components during the performance of fishplates, and of the rail in the vicinity of the RJ under a given support condition. The vertical displacement of the rail joint were presented and assessed against specified endurance tests’ limits and field measured deflection values that validate the model. Stress distribution in the fishplates was presented that could allow the calculation, through a stress-life approach, the fatigue life of the fishplates and consequently of the joints due to repeated wheel passage. A comparison of the performance of the aforementioned RJ types is included. The results indicate this FE model to be practical to be routinely applied to industry, as it was used in UK Rail industry study to allow designers to optimise life expectancy of IRJs

The assessment of track deflection and rail joint performance

Track stiffness is the one of the most critical parameters of the track structure. Its evaluation is important to assess track quality, component performance, localised faults and optimise maintenance periods and activities. Keeping the track stiffness within acceptable range of values is connected with keeping the railway network in a satisfactorily performing condition, allowing thereby upgrade of its capacity (speed, load, intensity). Current railway standards are changing to define loading and stiffness requirements for improved ballasted and ballastless performance under high speed train traffic. In recent years various techniques have been used to measure track deflection which have been also used to validate numerical models to assess various problems within the railway network. Based on recent introduction of the Video Gauge for its application in the civil engineering industry this project provides the proof of effective applicability of this DIC (Digital image correlation) tool for the accurate assessment of track deflection and the calculation of track stiffness through its effective applicability in various track conditions for assessing the stiffness of various track forms including track irregularities where abrupt change in track stiffness occur such as transition zones and rail joints. Attention is given in validation of numerical modelling of the response of insulated rail joints under the passage of wheel load within the goal to improve track performance adjacent to rail joints and contribute to the sponsoring company s product offering. This project shows a means of improving the rail joint behaviour by using external structural reinforcement, and this is presented through numerical modelling validated by laboratory and field measurements. The structural response of insulated rail joints (IRJs) under the wheel vertical load passage is presented to enhance industry understanding of the effect of critical factors of IRJ response for various IRJ types that was served as a parametric FE model template for commercial studies for product optimisation

Recent Research and Developments in Cold-formed Steel Design and Construction

Unstiffened Elements - Some Interesting Features - Tests of Profiled Steel Decks with V-Stiffeners - Bending Strength of Beams with Non-Linear Analysis - Local and Distortional Buckling of Thin-Walled Beams - Design of C-Sections Against Deformational Lip Buckling - Lateral Buckling of Singly Symmetric Beams - Flexural Capacity of Discretely Braced C\u27s and Z\u27s - The Buckling Behaviour of Hollow Flange Beams - Experimental Investigations of I-Beams - Tests of Continuous Purlins Under Downwards Loading - Tests of Full-Scale Roofing Systems - Profiled Sheet Behaviour Under Concentrated Load - On Design of Profiled Sheets with Varying Cross Sections - Properties for Cellular Decks in Negative Bending - Contrasting Behaviour of Thin Steel Roof Claddings Under Simulated Cyclonic Wind Loading - New ASCE Standards for Cold-Formed Steel Deck Slabs - Composite Slabs Analyzed by Block Bending Test - Repeated Point Loading Tests on Composite Slabs - Thermal Shielding Near Intermediate Supports of Continuous Span Composite Slabs - Design of Channels Against Distortional Buckling - Distortional Buckling of Cold-Formed Steel Z-Section Columns - Shah Alam Sports Complex: Design and Construction of Unistrut Space-Frame Roof Structure - Flexibly Connected Thin-Walled Space Frame Stability - Test of a Full Scale Roof Truss - Down-Aisle Stability of Rack Structures - Racking Performance of Plasterboard-Clad Steel Stud Walls - An Experimental Study of Shear Wall Units - Some Applications of Generalized Beam Theory - Calibration of a Bending Model for Cold-Formed Sections - Recent Development in Cold-Formed Steel - The 1989 Edition ofthe Canadian Cold-Formed Steel Design Standard - Observations and Comments Pertaining to CAN/CSA-S136-M89 - Prediction of Corner Mechanical Properties for Stainless Steels Due to Cold Forming - Stainless Steel Tubular Beams - Tests and Design - The Lateral Torsional Buckling Strength of Cold-Formed Stainless Steel Lipped Channel Beams - Testing and Design of Bolted Connections in Cold-Formed Steel Sections - Behavior of Arc Spot Weld Connections in Tension - The Bi-Axial Behaviour of Shear Connectors in Composite Slabs and Beams - Influence of Deformed Metal Decking Composite Floors to Beam-Column Connections - Education in Cold-Formed Steel Structures - Lifelong Learning - Activities of the Center for Cold-Formed Steel Structure

Comparative analysis of coal fatalities in Australia, South Africa, India, China and USA, 2006-2010

Coal mining (especially underground) is considered one of the most hazardous industries, and as a result considerable focus is applied to eliminating or mitigating hazards through careful mine planning, equipment selection and certification, and development of management systems and procedures. Regulatory agencies have developed in-house methods for reporting, classification and tracking of fatalities and other incidents according to the type of event, often including consideration of different hazard types. Unfortunately, direct comparison of mining safety statistics between countries is confounded by considerable differences in the way that individual countries classify specific fatalities or incidents. This paper presents a comparative analysis of coal mining fatality data in Australia, South Africa, India, China and the United States from 2006 to 2010. Individual classification definitions are compared between the five countries, and methods presented to normalise each country’s hazard definitions and reporting regimes around the RISKGATE framework of seventeen different priority unwanted events (or topics). Fatality data from individual countries is then re-classified according to the different RISKGATE topics, thereby enabling a comparative analysis between all five countries. This paper demonstrates the utility and value of a standard classification approach, and submits the RISKGATE framework as a model for classification that could be applied globally in coal mining. RISKGATE is the largest health and safety project ever funded by the Australian coal industry (http://www.riskgate.org) to build an industry body of knowledge to assist in managing common industry hazards. A comprehensive knowledge base has been captured for risk management of tyres, collisions, fires, isolation, strata underground, ground control open cut, explosions, explosives, manual tasks and slips/trips/falls. This has been extended to outburst, coal burst and bumps, interface displays and controls, tailings dams and inrush

Commissioning adiabatic oven testing - an inter-laboratory comparison

Adiabatic oven testing for spontaneous combustion assessment has been a primary method used by the Australian and New Zealand coal industries for input to the development of Principal Hazard Management Plans for mining operations. Consistency of results is important to ensure that the ratings obtained are accurate and reliable for maintaining the integrity of the database used to compare between mines and for obtaining site specific relationships. This paper presents the results from commissioning tests of four new adiabatic ovens at two different laboratories, which show the high level of reproducibility and repeatability needed for confidence in planning of future mining operations. The results cover a range of coal self-heating rates to show the validity of the testing and the reliability of the adiabatic ovens