From Corus' website at: http://www.corusrail.com/en/design_and_ ... face_study
Gautrain Wheel-Rail Interface Study
Wheel-Rail Interface study and rail grade selection for the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link (GRRL), South Africa.
Synopsis
Our client was part of a consortium selected to design, build and operate a new rail network in South Africa, to be operational by the 2010 World Cup. Since the railway was being constructed to run a UK vehicle design on a European track design, our client required a full study of the wheel-rail interface and recommendations regarding derailment risks and the effect on track degradation given that the system should have a 30 year design life.
Corus was selected to carry out the study due to the unique combination of rail metallurgy and rail degradation modelling expertise within the team. We were able to provide an informed, independent assessment of the requirements for premium grade rail steels without having to recommend products from any particular rail supplier.
Key Client Issues
* A lack of understanding of system behaviour for the combination of vehicle type, wheel profile, rail profile and track design selected for GRRL
* A requirement to produce a technical justification to the end client (regional government in South Africa) for the choice of rail grades to be used during construction
* A requirement to produce a 30 year maintenance plan based on as much factual technical data as possible
Solutions
Corus was able to address the key client issues by:
* Working with the client’s own vehicle dynamics modelling team to simulate the passage of traffic on the designed rail network, producing a detailed map of the duty conditions at the wheel-rail interface for the full 150km of track
* Using proven models for track degradation, predict the track segments where use of premium grade rail steels gave both a technical and economic benefit to the new railway
* Combining our knowledge of track degradation rates with our detailed knowledge of rail maintenance procedures to develop a high level maintenance plan for the new railway
Specifically, Corus gave recommendations for selection of the most appropriate rail steel grades, track design parameters and rail maintenance procedures such as rail grinding and lubrication to ensure the system would achieve its 30 year design life.
Client Benefits
* Potential initial cost saving in rail procured of around £1.5M
* Potential to deliver life cycle cost savings by implementing Corus’ recommendations to extend rail life by carefully selected use of premium rail grades and track lubrication
* Ability to plan preventive rail maintenance over a long period using the Corus predictions for when rail grinding is required