NTL Record

Title Sleeve Expansion of Bolt Holes in Railroad Rail : Volume I, Description and Planning
Record ID 49180
Personal Name
Creator
Lindh, D. V.; Taylor, R. Q.; Rose, D. M.
Source 76p. in various pagings
Corporate Creator Boeing Company. Commercial Airplane Division for 1992-
Corporate
Contributor
John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.); United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research and Development
Publisher United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration
Publication Date 19800201
Language English
Abstract The most predominant failure mode of rails with bolt joints is a web crack initiating at the rail bolt hole. This failure mode is of a classical fatigue nature induced by web stress concentration around the bolt hole. This program was conducted to apply a metal-working process to the rail bolt hole to reduce the effect of such stress concentration and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique. Using a process known as cold hole expansion, common to the aircraft industry, where the bolt hole is expanded to the point of plastic deformation, a residual compressive stress of both radial and tangential components is formed around the bolt hole. The compressive stress developed effectively reduces the failure-initiating stress concentration at the bolt hole. The effectiveness of the cold-expansion process as applied to rail was demonstrated by comparison fatigue testing of both cold-expanded (CE) and non-cold-expanded (NCE) specimens. Laboratory tests indicated that life improvement for CE specimens was such that web or head failures would be the predominant failure mode, rather than CE bolt holes. The test results were statistically analyzed, indicating a factor of 10 or greater improvement in rail life due to reduction in bolt-hole failure could be anticipated. Experimental equipment was adapted to apply cold hole expansion to an 8.5 mile test section of track in commercial service. Evaluation of this field test is continuing.
Rosap ID dot:10648
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/10648
TRT Terms Bolts; Cold working; Compressive strength; Cracking; Fracture mechanics; Fatigue tests; Holes; Joints; Plastic deformation; Extrusion; Railroad rails; Railroad tracks; Residual stress; Stresses; Work hardening
General Subjects Bolted joints; Compresisve properties; Crack propagation; Mandrels; Stress concentration
Classification NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Vehicle Design;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Rail Safety;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - SAFETY AND SECURITY;
NTL - RAIL TRANSPORTATION - Rail Safety;
NTL - RAIL TRANSPORTATION - RAIL TRANSPORTATION
Geographical
Coverage
United States
Report Number DOT-TSC-FRA-80-05, I; FRA/ORD-80/5, I; PB80-182181
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/49000/49100/49180/Sleeve_expansion_of_bolt_holes_in_railroad_rail_v-1.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository