Laboratory test standards for assessment of rail fastening

system performance

David Rhodes, PhD - Pandrol Ltd., UKBob Coats, P.E. - Pandrol USA

Rail Fastening System Qualification Tests

Europe – CEN (EN 13481-2)Japan – Railway Technical Research

Institute (RTRI)North America – AREMA (Ch. 30) Global Influence (Australia, Africa + others)

TEST CEN AREMA Subject No.Longitudinal Rail Restraint Yes Yes 2Torsion Yes Yes 4Attenuation of impact loads Yes Yes 3Repeated Load Test Yes Yes 5Electrical Resistance Yes Yes 1Severe (Corrosive) Environments Yes NoWet & Abrasive Environments No Yes 5Clamping Force Yes Yes 2Insert Pullout Yes YesRail Pad Dynamic Stiffness Yes NoVertical Stiffness Yes Yes 3Lateral Restraint No YesRail Uplift No YesDimensional Assessment Yes No

Electrical Testing

Electrical Test Requirements

CEN: 5 kΩ Resistance minimum After water spray, corrected for resistivity

AREMA: 10 kΩ Impedance minimum After submerged soak

Clamping Force (of rail clips)

Determination of Clamping Force BS EN 13146-7:2002

Longitudinal Restraint

Determination of Longitudinal Rail Restraint BS EN 13146-1:2002

Longitudinal Restraint

CEN: Pull to slip, 7 kN (1,574 lb.) minimum AREMA: 2,400 lb. (10.7 kN) without slip

Vertical Stiffness

Determination of Vertical Stiffness BS EN 13146-4:2002

Determination of Attenuation of Impact loads EN 13146-3:2002

Torsion

Determination of Torsional Resistance BS EN 13146-2:2002

Repeated Load Test

Repeated Load Test - PurposePre Repeated Load Test Series

Clamping ForceLongitudinal Rail Restraint

Vertical Stiffness

Repeated Load Test

Post Repeated Load Test SeriesClamping Force

Longitudinal Rail RestraintVertical Stiffness

Repeated Load Test – Track Data

Goal: Match Repeated Load Test to Rail LifeRail Life in Track? Track MGT per Year 10 50 100 150 250 300Years to 3 BGT 300 60 30 20 12 10Years to 1 BGT 100 20 10 6.7 4 3.3

Laboratory TestCalculating number of test cycles to correspond to 3 BGT / MGT

Car Weight 26200028600

031500

0Axle Load 65500 71500 78750Wheel Load 32750 35750 39375Railseat Load 16375 17875 19688(assuming 1/2 wheel load on railseat)

In theory, four 20 kip load cycles equates to one 315,000 lb. carOne MGT equates to 6349cars or 25397cycles

Three BGT equates to76190

476cycles or76.2 million cycles

Repeated Load testing at 3.5 Hz,21768

707seconds of testing is required

6047hours 252days 36weeks8.4Months running 24/7

136RE 20kip Lateral LoadTypical Rail Clip Loads

136RE 20kip Lateral LoadTypical Rail Clip Loads

136RE 20kip Lateral LoadTypical Rail Clip Loads

Instructions for the Cyclic Loading on an Assembly EN 13146-4:2002

Instructions for the Cyclic Loading on an Assembly EN 13146-4:2002

Repeated Load test to RTRI Standards

(Japan)

AREMA CEN

Fmax (2)Kips (kN)

Fmin Angle α Deg

L / V Ratio

FmaxKips (kN)

Fmin Angle α Deg

L / V Ratio

Light Rail 12 (55) 1 (5) 38.6 0.80Gen Freight / Transit 30 (133) -3.3 (15) 20 17 (75) 1 (5) 33 0.65Heavy Haul 32.5 (145) 1 kip

lateral27.5 0.52 19 (83) 1 (5) 33 0.65

Laboratory test standards for assessment of rail fastening

system performance

David Rhodes, PhD - Pandrol Ltd., UKBob Coats, P.E. - Pandrol USA