| Abstrakt: |
The paper presents an application of ultrasonic techniques for monitoring thermal stresses in continuously welded rail. Such stresses, when compressive, can lead to dangerous track buckling. The paper describes a probe-head which generates subsurface and reflected longitudinal ultrasonic waves propagating along the rail head. Results are presented of the measurement of acousto-elastic constants. The influence of rail and probe-head temperatures on stress readings is discussed. Results of field measurements of thermal stresses in rails in track are presented, showing the distribution of stresses along the 400 m track section. |
