Damage tolerance analysis of detail fractures in rail

Abstract This paper describes a fracture mechanics approach for analyzing the growth of internal transverse defects in rails known as detail fractures. Analyses are used specifically to determine: (1) the defect size at which a rail failure can be expected when a train is traveling over it and (2) the time for a detail fracture to grow from a given size to the size at which rail failure can be expected. The results from these analyses are shown to depend strongly on ambient temperature. Moreover, the results can be applied to develop damage-tolerant strategies for rail inspection.