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Title:

RELIABILITY OF IMPROVED THERMITE WELDS
Cover of RELIABILITY OF IMPROVED THERMITE WELDS

Accession Number:

00983180

Record Type:

Monograph

Availability:

National Technical Information Service

5301 Shawnee Road
Alexandria, VA 22312 United States

Abstract:

This Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) project confirms the results of its prior IDEA project (HSR-24) that thermite-weld fatigue resistance can be significantly and reliably increased by improving the shape of the weld-toe in the web-base fillet and rail-base regions of the weld and by suppressing common weld-toe defects found there. Laboratory 4-point bending fatigue tests were carried out on five series of thermite welds: three series had a standard external shape currently in use and two series had an improved shape developed in this study. Test laboratory results show that improved welds have a fatigue life approximately 2 times that of standard welds. Twenty-one welds with the improved shape were installed in the Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) FAST track facility in Pueblo, Colorado. Several of the 21 welds failed prematurely; and thus, all of the remaining 21 were removed from the track. A small fabrication fault in the web of the improved welds was identified and has been corrected. New molds are being manufactured and a second series of improved welds will be installed in the TTCI FAST track.

Supplemental Notes:

This HSR-IDEA project was conducted by the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved

Report/Paper Numbers:

HSR-IDEA Project 41

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Lawrence, F V
Ross, E T
Barkan, CPL

Pagination:

31 p.

Publication Date:

2004-11

Serial:

High-Speed Rail IDEA Program Project Final Report

Publisher: Transportation Research Board

Features:

Figures; Photos; References (11) ; Tables (5)

Subject Areas:

Design; Highways; Railroads

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Dec 1 2004 12:00AM