FATIGUE TESTS OF RAIL WEBS

This report covers corrosion fatigue tests using a corroding agent of tap water mixed with sufficient sulfuric acid. Specimens were stressed at a rate of 150 cycles per minute for the first 1,000,000 cycles or until a crack had been detected. After 1,000,000 cycles, the speed of testing was increased to 800 cycles per minute and maintained at that rate until the specimen cracked, or until 10,000,000 cycles had been reached. From these tests it may be concluded: that the stresses in the upper rail fillets on tangent track outside of the joint bar limits at the rail end and at the first bolt hole with the new 115 RE rail section and new AREA bolt spacing are well within limits that can be tolerated, provided no unusual corrosion conditions exist that substantially reduce the fatigue strength of the rail steel.