Nicholas, G. orcid.org/0000-0002-0901-3276, Gray, W. orcid.org/0000-0001-7620-9474, Poulter, M. et al. (2 more authors) (2025) A review of techniques for measurement of forces and neutral temperatures in railway track. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, 239 (4). pp. 307-332. ISSN 0954-4097
Abstract
Track failures in the form of thermally induced buckling events or rail breakages on continuously welded rails (CWRs) have long posed challenges for the rail industry. These issues arise because CWRs cannot freely expand or contract as rail temperatures fluctuate during operation, resulting in compressive or tensile stresses. As temperature variations increase, these stresses can lead to rail buckling under compression or separation under tension. Buckling, in particular, poses a serious threat, as it is often associated with derailments, carrying substantial social (rail safety, public perception) and economic (track downtime, damage to freight, rolling stock, and infrastructure) consequences. For this reason, understanding the thermal stress state or neutral rail temperature (NRT) of installed track is critical for rail network owners and operators. This knowledge enables more precise planning of maintenance, targeted rail replacement, and monitoring of high-risk areas. Consequently, there is growing demand for in-situ, non-destructive methods to measure NRT. This paper reviews existing methods for measuring NRT, encompassing approaches developed from the 1960s to the present. Each method is critically evaluated, with the findings summarized in a table that outlines their operational principles, limitations, reported accuracy, and current technology readiness level.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © IMechE 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). |
Keywords: | Railway technology/ engineering; stress free temperature; reliability; railway safety; review |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Engineering (Sheffield) > School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 25 Mar 2025 10:06 |
Last Modified: | 25 Mar 2025 10:06 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | SAGE Publications |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1177/09544097251314907 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:224798 |