LONG WELDED

RAILS RAILS
LWR (GENERAL)
FISHPLATED TRACK-Maintenance problem and poor
riding comfort
DREAM OF RAILWAY ENGINEERS- Joint less Track
TWO WAYS OF ACHIEVING
ROLLING OF LONGER RAILS
Logistic problem in transporting, loading, unloading
Length of cooling boxes Length of cooling boxes
WELDING
PRESENT STATUS OF ROLLING OF RAILS IN
INDIA
13 m
26 m
65 m
PLANNING-UP TO 480 M
DEVELOPMENT OF LONG WELDED
RAILS
COMMERCIAL WELDING 1932/ 1905
DURING THIRTIES
STANDARD RAIL
Length 5.5 m TO 27 m
Weight 22 kg TO 65 kg Weight 22 kg TO 65 kg
WELDED RAILS
18 m TO 380 m
LONGER RAILS USED BUT
NOT SURE OF GAP
BTC STUDY REVEALED (British Transport Commission)
GAP INDEPENDENT OF LENGTH OF RAILS
DEVELOPMENT OF LONG WELDED
RAILS (Contd)
OTHER MAJOR WORRY
ABILITY TO WITHSTAND THERMAL FORCES
RESISTANCE TO BUCKLING
STIFFNESS OF RAIL
RAIL SLEEPER FASTENINGS
BALLAST RESISTANCE
LWR accepted after gaining confidence about
resistance to buckling
DEVELOPMENT OF RAIL WELDING IN
INDIA
IN NINETEEN THIRTIES
GIP undertaken welding using electrical process
BN railways started conducting trials
IN NINETEEN FOURTIES
Railways commenced trials with welded NW, GIP, & EI Railways commenced trials with welded
rails
FROM 1947 TO 1966 WELDED PANELS WERE
USED TO REDUCE MAINTAINCE PROBLEM
3 RAIL PANELS
5 RAIL PANELS
10 RAIL PANELS
DEVELOPMENT OF RAIL WELDING IN
INDIA
BUT LARGE SCALE MAINTAINACE
PROBLEMS
Increased rail battering and hogging
Elongated fish bolt holes Elongated fish bolt holes
Bent fish plates
DEVELOPMENT OF RAIL
WELDING IN INDIA
COMMITTEE NOMINATED BY BOARD
RECOMMENDED
i)3 Rail panels are maximum with fish-plated joints
ii)Discontinue further 5/10 rail panel ii)Discontinue further 5/10 rail panel
iii)Cut into 2.5 rail panels
iv)RDSO to conduct further studies for deciding the
track structure, temp., Ballast condition for laying
LWR
BASIC DEFENITIONS
1.1 LONG WELDED RAILS (LWR) is a welded rail, the
central part of which does not undergo any longitudinal
movement due to temp. variations. A length greater than
250m on B.G and 500m on M.G will normally function
as LWR.
The maximum length of LWR under Indian conditions
shall normally be restricted to one block section. shall normally be restricted to one block section.
1.2 CONTINUOUS WELDED RAILS (CWR) is a LWR, which
would continue through station yards including points
and crossings.
1.3 SHORT WELDED RAILS (SWR) is a welded rail which
contracts and expands throughout its length.
BASIC DEFENITIONS (Contd.)
1.4 BREATHING LENGTH is that length at each end of
LWR/CWR which is subjected to expansion/
contraction on account of temp. variations.
1.5 SWITCH EXPANSION JOINT (SEJ) is an expansion
joint installed at each end of LWR/CWR to permit
expansion/ contraction of the adjoining breathing expansion/ contraction of the adjoining breathing
lengths due to temp. variations.
1.6 BUFFER RAILS are a set of rails provided in lieu of
SEJ at the ends of LWR/CWR to allow
expansion/contraction of the adjoining breathing
lengths due to temp. variations.
BASIC DEFENITIONS
1.7 DESTRESSING is the operation undertaken with or
without rail tensor to secure stress-free conditions in
the LWR/CWR at the desired/specified rail temp.
1.8 RAIL TEMP. is the temp. of the rail at site as
recorded by an approved type of rail thermometer. recorded by an approved type of rail thermometer.
1.9 MEAN RAIL TEMP. (t
m
)for a section, is the avg. of
the max. & min. rail temps. recorded for the section.
1.10 INSTALLATION TEMP. (t
i
) is the average rail temp.
during the process of fastening the rails to the
sleepers at the time of installation of the LWR/CWR.
Destressing Temp.
The rail can be fixed to the sleepers by fastenings after
destressing, at a temp. anywhere within the range between
maximum and minimum rail temp.
It is prudent to fix the destressing temp. higher than the
mean rail temp.
Since the operation of fastening the rails to the sleepers
after destressing takes time during which rail temp. can
vary, a range has been recommended for t
d
instead of a
finite value.
BASIC DEFENITIONS
1.11 DESTRESSING TEMP. (t
d
) is the avg. rail temp.
during the period of fastening the rails to the sleepers
after destressing LWR without the use of rail tensor.
If rail tensor is used, t
d
for all practical purposes is
equal to t
o
as defined below.
Range of t
d
or t
o
shall be: Range of t
d
or t
o
shall be:
Rail Section Range
52 kg & heavier t
m
+5
o
C to t
m
+10
o
C
Others t
m
to t
m
+ 5
o
C
1.12 PREVAILING RAIL TEMP (t
p
) is the rail temp. prevailing
at the time when any operation connected with destressing is
carried out.
1.13 STRESS-FREE TEMP (t
o
) is the rail temp. at which the rail
is free of thermal stress.
Stress-free Temp.
This is the rail temp. at which the rail is free of
thermal stresses. For all practical purposes, this is
equivalent to destressing temp.
Two essential differences: Two essential differences:
i) Stress-free temp. is applicable for any
destressing operation wherein rail tensors are
used.
ii) Stress-free temp. is a finite value.
BASIC DEFENITIONS(Contd )
1.14 RAIL TENSOR is a hydraulic or mechanical device
used for stretching the rail physically.
1.15 ANCHOR LENGTH (l
a
) is the length of track required
to resist the pull exerted on rails by the rail tensor at
temp. t
p
. temp. t
p
.
For practical purposes, this may be taken as equal to
2.5m per degree celsius of (t
o
-t
p
) for BG.
1.16 HOT WEATHER PATROL is the patrol carried out
when the rail temp. exceeds t
d
+20
o
C.
1.17 COLD WEATHER PATROL is the patrol carried out
during cold months of the year in specified sections as
per instructions of Chief Engineer.
BASIC DEFENITIONS(Contd)
CONSOLIDATION OF TRACK
FOR OTHER THAN CONCRETE SLEEPERS
WHEN BALLAST COMPACTION DONE WITH HAND
OPERATED COMPACTORS OPERATED COMPACTORS
BG 3,00,000 GROSS TONNES
MG 1,00,000 GROSS TONNES
MECHANISED SHOULDER AND CRIB COMPACTOR
BG 50,000 GROSS TONNES
MG 20,000 GROSS TONNES
OR MINIMUM OF TWO DAYS WHICHEVWR IS LATER
BASIC DEFENITIONS(Contd)
CONCRETE SLEEPERS
BG 50,000 GROSS TONNES
MG 20,000 GROSS TONNES
OR MINIMUM OF TWO DAYS WHICHEVWR IS LATER
ATLEAST ONE ROUND OF STABILISATION BY ATLEAST ONE ROUND OF STABILISATION BY
DTS
FOR NEWLY LAID LWR/CWR, AT LEAST 3
ROUNDS OF PACKING ( LAST TWO WITH ON
TRACK TAMPER)
BASIC PRINCIPLES
A metal rod supported on frictionless rollers
can theoretically expand and contract freely
with variations in temperature = L t
Where, L = length of the metal rod
= Coeff. Of linear expansion (1.152x10
-5
/
o
C)
t = Change in temperature
e.g. if L = 13m, t=20
o
C; Change in length =
3mm
BASIC PRINCIPLES (Contd)
RAIL IS RESTRAINED DUE TO
i) Creep resistance on account of friction
between the rail and the sleeper at the rail
seat
ii) Creep resistance further offered by the rail- ii) Creep resistance further offered by the rail-
sleeper fastening
This results into less expansion/ contraction
IN LWR RAIL SLEEPER FRAME AS A
WHOLE TENDS TO MOVES (DUE TO
TOE LOAD )
BASIC PRINCIPLES (Contd)
RAIL/SLEEPER FRAME IS RESRTAINED BY
BALLAST RESISTANCE
Assumed constant
Build up progressively from end of LWR
THERMAL FORCES ARE DEVELOPED THERMAL FORCES ARE DEVELOPED
Temperature variation
Rail section
IMPORTANCE OF MEASUREMENT OF RAIL
TEMPERATURE
Forces in rail to be kept in limit
Maintenance operations
RAIL TEMPERATURE
RAIL TEMP. is different from ambient temp. which is the temp.
of air in shade.
Affects behaviour and stability of LWR.
TEMPERATURE ZONES:
ZONE RANGE OF RAIL TEMPERATURE (
O
C) ZONE RANGE OF RAIL TEMPERATURE (
O
C)
I 40-50
II 51-60
III 61-70
IV 71-76
The absolute values of rail temp. range and mean temp.
are shown outside and inside the brackets respectively,
on the map.
MEASUREMENT OF RAIL TEMP.
TYPES:
i) Embedded type
ii) Dial type
iii) Continuous recording type
TEMP. MEASUREMENTS:
8 to 10 stations in a Railway, in a manner to give the
representative sample of the temp. variations on the Railway, for representative sample of the temp. variations on the Railway, for
the region, allotted to each station. These stations shall be existing
PWIs offices.
5 years record of max. & min. Rail temps. using a well
calibrated continuous recording type thermometer.
These records shall be analysed to assess the probable
availability of time periods during different seasons of the year
for track maint., Patrolling etc.
Rail thermometer shall also be available with each Gang and
sectional PWIs.
THERMAL FORCES
THERMAL FORCES IN THE CENTRAL
PORTION:
P = EA t
Where,
P = thermal force in the rail (kg)
E = modulus of elasticity of rail steel (2.15 x 10
6
E = modulus of elasticity of rail steel (2.15 x 10
6
kg/sq.Cm)
= co-efficient of linear expansion of steel
(1.152 x 10
-5
/
o
c)
A = area of x-section of the rail (sq.cm)
t = variation of rail temp. from t
d
/ t
o
(
o
c)
PERMITTED LOCATIONS
1. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS:
1.1 AS A RULE, CTR(P) SHALL PROVIDE FOR LWR/CWR.
ALSO, EXISTING RAILS ON PERMITTED LOCATIONS
MAY BE CONVERTED.
1.2 NEW CONSTRUCTIONS / DOUBLINGS / GAUGE
CONVERSIONS / REVISED ALIGNMENT / PERMANENT
DIVERSIONS SHALL BE OPENED WITH LWR/CWR.
1.3 IN GOODS RUNNING LINES, GOODS YARDS,
RECEPTION YARDS & CLASSIFICATION YARDS, RAIL
JOINTS MAY BE WELDED TO FORM LWR.
PERMITTED LOCATIONS (Contd)
2.2 ALIGNMENT:
2.1 Shall not be laid on curves sharper than 440m
radius both for BG & MG.
In temp. Zone I up to 5
o
on BG
52 kg rail on PSC, m + 7 with following 52 kg rail on PSC, m + 7 with following
precautions
Increase shoulder ballast to 600 mm on outside
and provide for 100 m beyond the tangent point
Reference marks every 50 m for creep
SEJ 100 m away from tangent point
PERMITTED LOCATIONS
(Contd)
Each curve greater than 250 m length provide
SEJ on either side.
May be continued through reverse curves
not sharper than 875m radius. not sharper than 875m radius.
For reverse curves sharper than 1500m radius,
shoulder ballast of 600mm over a length of 100m on
either side of the common point should be provided
Bursting Force f = P/R per m
P= 2 AE t
PERMITTED LOCATIONS (Contd)
GRADIENTS
STEEPEST 1 IN 100
VERTICAL CURVE IF ALGEBRIC DIFGFERENCE IS EQUAL TO OR
MORE THAN 4 mm/m OR 0.4 %,AS PER PARA 419 OF IRPWM
MINIMUM RADIUS
BG MG
A 4000 m A 4000 m
B 3000 m ALL ROUTES 2500 m
C,D & E 2500 m
LWR/CWR PLAN REQUIRES THE APPROVAL OF
THOD. HOWEVER ANY DEVIATION FROM THE
PROVISION OF THIS MANUAL APPROVAL OF PCE
SHALL BE OBTAINED
TRACK STRUCTURE FOR LWR/CWR
FORMATION
Stable formation
BALLAST CUSHION AND SECTION
Minimum 250 mm at the time of installation
300 mm (200 mm ballast cushion over 150 mm of sub 300 mm (200 mm ballast cushion over 150 mm of sub
ballast) for speeds in excess of 130 kmph on BG or
100 kmph on MG
Profile should be as per fig. 4.2.1 (a) to (d)
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
TRACK STRUCTURE FOR LWR/CWR
SLEEPERS AND FASTENING
BG
PSC WITH ELASTIC FASTENINGS
ST SLEEPERS WITH ELASTIC FASTENINGS UPTO
130 kmph (UPTO 160 kmph AS AN INTERIM
MEASURE)
MG
PSC WITH ELASTIC FASTENINGS PREFERABLY PSC WITH ELASTIC FASTENINGS PREFERABLY
FOR SPEEDS ABOVE 75 kmph BUT MUST ABOVE
100 kmph
ST WITH ELASTIC FASTENINGS PREFERABLY
FOR SPEEDS ABOVE 75 kmph BUT MUST ABOVE
100 kmph
ST WITH KEYS FOR SPEEDS NOT EXEEDING
100 kmph
CST 9 WITH KEYS FOR SPEEDS NOT
EXEEDING 100 kmph
TRACK STRUCTURE FOR LWR/CWR
NOTES
Already existing on ST/CST with keys upto 130 kmph
on BG may be continued if satisfactory
On ST/CST with keys, breathing lengths be preferably
with elastic fastenings
For CST 9 precautions as per annexure ii
Existing on wooden sleepers with ACB & two way
keys or elastic fastenings may be continued
130 kmph for BG
100kmph for MG if satisfactory
TRACK STRUCTURE FOR LWR/CWR
SLEEPER DENSITY
TYPE OF SLEEPER SLEEPER DENSITY (BG/MG)
PRC 1310 IN ZONE I & II
PRC 1540 IN ZONE III & IV
OTHERS 1540 IN ALL ZONES
RAILS
GAUGE RAIL SECTION
BG 90R/52 kg/60 kg
MG 75R/90R MG 75R/90R
ALREADY LAID WITH 60R RAILS MAY BE CONTINUED
In one LWR two different rail sections are not permitted
Any change in rail section isolate by SEJ
LWRs laid on PRC having two different rail sections on
either side of SEJ provide two 3 rail panels, one of each rail
section with combination fish plated joint between the two
panels
TRACK STRUCTURE FOR LWR/CWR
BEFORE CONVERSION
USFD
Cropping of bent, hogged, battered, or having history
of bolt-hole cracks
NEW RAILS NEW RAILS
As for as possible without fish bolt holes
Fish bolt holes if any should be chamfered
TRACK STRUCTURE FOR LWR/CWR
MISCELLANEOUS:
4.5.1 CONTINUITY OF TRACK STRUCTURE:
WHENEVER LWR/CWR IS FOLLOWED BY
FISHPLATED TRACK/SWR, THE SAME TRACK
STRUCTURE AS THAT OF LWR/CWR SHALL BE STRUCTURE AS THAT OF LWR/CWR SHALL BE
CONTINUED FOR THREE RAIL LENGTHS BEYOND
SEJ.
4.5.2 LEVEL CROSSINGS:
LEVEL CROSSINGS SITUATED IN LWR/CWR
TERRITORY SHALL NOT FALL WITHIN THE
BREATHING LENGTHS.
TRACK STRUCTURE FOR LWR/CWR
4.5.3 POINTS & CROSSINGS:
LWR/CWR SHALL NOT NORMALLY BE TAKEN
THROUGH P&C. THREE NORMAL RAIL LENGTHS
SHALL BE PROVIDED BETWEEN SRJ AND SEJ AS
WELL AS BETWEEN THE CROSSING AND SEJ.
THESE NORMAL RAIL LENGTHS SHALL BE THESE NORMAL RAIL LENGTHS SHALL BE
PROVIDED WITH ERCS/ANCHORS TO ARREST
CREEP.
HOWEVER, WHERE PSC TURNOUTS ARE LAID,
INSTEAD OF THREE NORMAL RAIL LENGTHS, ONE
THREE RAIL PANEL SHALL BE PROVIDED
BETWEEN SEJ AND SRJ AS WELL AS BETWEEN
HEEL OF CROSSING AND SEJ.
TRACK STRUCTURE FOR LWR/CWR
4.5.4 GLUED JOINTS: G3L TYPE.
4.5.5 LOCATION OF SEJ:
Obligatory points such as level crossings, girder
bridges, points & xings, gradients, curves and bridges, points & xings, gradients, curves and
insulated joints. SEJ with straight tongue and
stock shall not be located on curves sharper than
0.5 degree as far as possible. SEJ shall not be
located on transition of curves.
BREATHING LENGTH
Max. thermal force in each rail = AE t (i)
Max. force in both rails = n * R
where, n = no.of sleepers in breathing length
R = longitudinal ballast resistance/sleeper
If r = longitudinal ballast resistance/m/rail and
L
b
= breathing length;

L
b
= breathing length;
Max. force in each rail = L
b
* r (ii)
L
b
*r = AE t
Or, L
b
= AE t
r
For a 52kg rail, t = 48oC and r=1000 kg/m/rail L
b
=78.64m
L
b
A, t
1
r
Factors Affecting
1. X-sectional area of rail (A)
2. Max. temp. variation (t)
3. Longitudinal ballast resistance (r)
Depends on Depends on
i) type of sleeper
ii) packing condition
iii) ballast profile
iv) passage of traffic
Ballast resistance per unit length of track remains more or
less constant for sleeper density of 1200 to 1500 per km.
Longitudinal Ballast Resistance
Long.resistance
Gauge Sleeper (kg/m/rail)
BG PRC 1110
ST 870
Wooden 640
CST-9 650 CST-9 650
MG Wooden 380
ST 315
CST-9 330
NB: The above values are approximate and depend on consolidation of ballast,
ballast profile, type of ballast, etc.
Breathing lengths given in Annexure 1-B of LWR Manual.
THERMAL MOVEMENTS
Free expansion = (dx) t
Contraction =
Net expansion = (dx) t (dx)
= (dx) (i)
EA
x P ) (
EA
x P ) (

EA
x P P ) (
where, P=AE t = max. force in LWR
Total expansion is obtained by integrating (i).
[P-P(x)] (dx) = Area of shaded diagram
Commutative value of expansion/contraction,
M= *
Thus max. movement = Half the movement of L
b
in free condition
Also, M=

EA
2
* * t L
AE
L P
b b

=
r
t AE
r
P
L
r
t AE
b

= = Q (
2
) (
MINIMUM REQUIRED GAP AT SEJ
Example:-
Gauge = BG
Rail = 52Kg (A=66.15 cm
2
)
Sleepers = PRC
r=1000 Kg/m/rail (assumed)
E=2.15x10
6
kg/cm
2
E=2.15x10 kg/cm
=1.152 x 10
-5
/
o
C
t=48
o
C (max. expected drop in rail temp. from t
d
in zone IV)
M=AE(t)
2
= 21.74mm
2r
If two LWRs meet at point, M=43.48mm
For t=28
o
C, ie.max.expected rise in rail temperature from td in Zone IV
M=7.41mm
Thus, total range to be provided for free expansion and contraction in a
SEJ=2(21.74+7.41)=58.3mm
DESIGNED GAP AT SEJs
Additional gap provided for
1. Creep of rails
2. Incorrect setting of SEJ at the time of laying
3. Fracture 3. Fracture
Separate drawings are available for SEJs in BG as well as
MG, for track on formation as well as for special
locations, viz. bridge approaches.
LAYING OF LWR/CWR
(Contd.)
6. GAPS AT SEJ:
6.1 Gaps at SEJ shall be adjusted at the time of
laying/subsequent destressing of LWR/CWR. As
shown below and shall be as under: shown below and shall be as under:
Rail section laid Gap at td
52/60 kg 40mm
Others 60mm