Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol.

596 (2014) pp 3-6

Online available since 2014/Jul/18 at www.scientific.net
© (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.596.3

Experimental study on the transverse stiffness of WJ-8 rail fastening

Can Liu1,a, Zhiping Zeng2,b*, Bin Wu1, Jiayu Yuan1 and Xianfeng He1
1
School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
2
National Engineering Laboratory for High-Speed Railway Construction, Changsha 410075, China
a
liucan35@163.com; b996710155@ qq.com

Keywords: Lateral horizontal force; Lateral displacement; Transverse stiffness; Bolt torque

Abstract: The study of WJ-8 rail fastening is about the relationship between lateral horizontal force
and rail’s lateral displacement, and the rail fastening’s transverse stiffness was obtained since the
rail slipped. The rail lateral displacement was measured by using the loading device of rail’s lateral
horizontal force which was changed as needed. Moreover, when the lateral horizontal force changes,
it was analyzed that how it affected rail’s lateral displacement and rail fastening’s transverse
stiffness under different bolt torque conditions. Therefore, the recommended value of transverse
stiffness is acquired which is based on analyzing the test results.

Introduction
With the speeding up of high speed railway, the interaction force between wheel and rail is
growing, and it will generate lateral displacement. But excessive lateral displacement of the rail will
make the rail gauge larger and change the track geometry, and then affecting the wheel-rail
contacting state. As a result, it affects the safety and comfort of train[1]. So it is important to
research the relationship between lateral displacement of rail and lateral horizontal force through
specific tests.
Rail fastening is an important coupling part of track, and its role is to maintain the rail gauge, to
impede the rail moving from sleepers, to prevent the rail overturning and to provide the necessary
flexibility[2]. Rail fastening’s lateral stiffness is an important parameters of rail. Through full-scale
model test, the size of transverse stiffness is investigated under different sizes of bolt torque
conditions. Moreover, the results are based on the analysis for lateral horizontal force affecting the
lateral displacement of rail.

Test Methods
In previous studies, the relationship between lateral displacement of rail and lateral horizontal
force is often analyzed by using finite element analysis software to build the track static model.
However, the finite element mode is objective and idealized. There is deviation between the
calculated results and the actual situation’s results. For this reason, a indoor full-scale model tests is
experimented on CRTS II slab track rail of the roadbed.
When the test starts. First, two segments(symmetrical) of rail are selected between two rail
fastenings and the bolt torque of two rail fastenings is fixed to the required size by using rail torque
wrench. Then, the measuring device of lateral displacement is placed in the middle of the two
segments, and to be perpendicular to the rail. The ultra-thin hydraulic jack and force sensor are
placed in a steel tank, and the face of ultra-thin hydraulic jack is close to the underside of force
sensor. And then, the two connecting sticks are set into the sleeve. It should be noted that the inner
end of connecting sticks must be close to the ultra-thin hydraulic jack or the force sensor, and the
outer end of connecting sticks are connected with the linkers through fixing hole. At the same time,
the outside of the linkers are closed to the inner face of rail. Then again, indicators are fixed by the
steadies on the outside of rail. In addition, the probe of indicators must be perpendicular to the outer
surface of rail. At last, The ultra-thin hydraulic jack is linked to hydraulic hand pump with a
complete set, so does the link between force sensor and the reader of force sensor. The mounting
method of measuring device is shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

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4 Mechatronics and Industrial Informatics II

1-steel tank 2-sleeve 3-connecting sticks 4-linkers

Fig.1 Measuring device of fastener’s lateral stiffness Fig.2 The photo of fastener’s lateral stiffness test
When the measurements are conducting. The ultra-thin hydraulic jack produce lateral force on
both sides of rail, with equal size and opposite direction, and the size of lateral horizontal force is
shown in the reader of force sensor. Meanwhile, the magnitude of rail’s displacement is reflected by
the indicators on both sides of rail. To analysis more conveniently and reduce experimental error,
the test is performed three times under each bolt torque of rail fastener[3].

The test results and analysis

While the size of rail fastenings’ bolt torque are respectively taken as 140, 160 and 200N·m, the
rail’s displacement is measured under the conditions of changing the size of the lateral horizontal
force. The test results are shown in Table 1 and the curves of lateral horizontal force - average
displacement are shown in Figure 3. These following conclusions from test: (1) The left rail's
displacement are almost equal to the right and the growth rate of them are also equal under the same
horizontal force. (2) The rail’s displacement and lateral force are not fully rendered as proportional
relationship. While the lateral force is smaller, the growth of rail’s displacement is also slower, and
the relationship between them is proportional analogously. But while the lateral force exceeds a
predetermined value, the displacement grow rapidly and the rate of it becomes larger, and the rails
slipped. (3) there is a "turning point" in the curve of lateral force-displacement, and two curves
about the "Turning point" can be approached by linear interpolating function. (4) Under the
conditions of the "turning point" appearing in the curve, the larger fastener’s bolt torque is, the
greater corresponding lateral force is. But the corresponding displacement of the rail does not
exhibit as simple regularity. That is, when the torque is taken as 140N·m, the size of corresponding
lateral force and rail’s lateral displacement each are 30kN and 90um; when the torque is taken as
160N·m, the size of them respectively change into 35kN and 80um; however, when the torque is
taken as 200N·m, the size of them separately turn into 45kN and 100um.
Table 1. Rail’s displacement [um]

Fastening’s torque140N·m
First time Second time Third time
Lateral The left rail The right Average Lateral The left rail The right Average Lateral The left rail The right Average
force [N] [um] rail[um] value [um] force [N] [um] rail[um] value [um] force [N] [um] rail[um] value [um]

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4747 10 8 9 4908 8 9 8.5 4713 8 8 8
9686 21 18 19.5 9269 18 21 19.5 9819 18 18 18
15321 36 31 33.5 14620 30 35 32.5 14552 28 27 27.5
19330 50 43 46.5 20108 46 53 49.5 19766 41 40 40.5
24200 66 63 64.5 24459 56 64 60 24264 54 56 55
29453 96 91 93.5 29359 77 89 83 29193 75 83 79
39126 173 172 172.5 39061 132 151 141.5 38954 143 155 149
47152 288 282 285 49194 257 299 278 49009 251 278 264.5
56540 445 436 440.5 55368 355 410 382.5 58603 412 449 430.5
 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 596 5

Continued table 1. Rail’s displacement [um]

Fastening’s torque160N·m
First time Second time Third time

Lateral The left rail The right Average Lateral The left rail The right Average Lateral The left rail The right Average
force [N] [um]] rail[um] value [um] force[N] [um] rail[um] value [um] force [N] [um] rail[um] value [um]

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10001 13 14 13.5 9760 15 16 15.5 10094 17 16 16.5
15097 21 22 21.5 14699 24 23 23.5 14808 26 26 26
19811 30 32 31 19570 34 32 33 19688 37 39 38
24946 41 44 42.5 24597 52 41 46.5 24745 48 53 50.5
29581 52 57 54.5 29781 61 56 58.5 30341 64 74 69
34393 67 74 70.5 34299 73 70 71.5 34575 78 91 84.5
39803 91 101 96 39287 106 104 105 38779 99 117 108
49544 168 190 179 49087 199 191 195 48128 149 172 160.5
54042 219 245 232 53850 281 269 275 52949 192 205 198.5
Fastening’s torque200N·m
First time Second time Third time
Lateral The left rail The right Average Lateral The left rail The right Average Lateral The left rail The right Average
force [N] [um] rail[um] value [um] force [N] [um] rail[um] value [um] force [N] [um] rail[um] value [um]

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10303 13 11 12 9741 11 13 12 9183 11 11 11
14919 20 17 18.5 14700 19 20 19.5 13220 17 18 17.5
20073 30 28 29 19669 29 31 30 19698 28 35 31.5
24503 41 38 39.5 24833 40 44 42 24755 37 49 43
29795 57 53 55 29508 51 55 53 28430 44 59 51.5
34411 72 69 70.5 34418 65 68 66.5 35809 59 83 71
39448 89 85 87 39357 81 83 82 38916 68 95 81.5
44466 108 103 105.5 45580 106 107 106.5 42150 78 107 92.5
49219 131 124 127.5 50941 131 133 132 47099 92 126 109
53942 158 152 155 55292 151 155 153 55370 127 163 145
59175 191 188 189.5 59025 171 176 173.5 60466 156 195 175.5
63889 228 223 225.5 64014 211 214 212.5 65758 191 231 211

(a)Fastening’s torque 140N·m (b) Fastening’s torque 160N·m (c) Fastening’s torque 200N·m
Fig.3 The curves of lateral horizontal force - average displacement
The measured rail supports the transverse horizontal force which is assigned to the four groups
of rail fastenings, which is located on the left and right of the measured rail. So the single fastener
shares a quarter of lateral force. According to the test data of lateral force and rail’s displacement,
the size of transverse stiffness can be calculated under the conditions of rail slipping, and the results
are shown in Table 2. It can be drawn that: the size of left and right sides transverse stiffness are
almost equal; the larger fastener’ s bolt torque is, the greater corresponding transverse stiffness is.
Especially, when the torque is taken as 160N·m[4](Standard value), the size of transverse stiffness is
6 Mechatronics and Industrial Informatics II

45.3kN/mm. However, the standard value is 35±5kN/mm[5], the followings may cause that the test
results are larger. (1) As rail sliding, the transverse horizontal force is great. In addition, the test
results of rail displacement are smaller than actual size. Therefore, even a slight error of lateral
displacement will bring about a great error of fastener stiffness’s values. (2) The rail suffered static
friction before slipping. Since the maximum of static friction is greater than sliding friction, the
measurements of lateral force is bigger in this moment. (3) As rail sliding, the lateral force is taken
as the magnitude after loading. Without a doubt, it is bigger than the actual value while rail slipped.
Table 2 .The size of rail fastening’s lateral stiffness when rail slipping[kN/mm]
Fastening torque [N·m] 140 160 200

Lateral force [N] 29453 29359 29193 34393 34299 34575 44466 45580 47099

The left fastening 34.4 44.1 39.9 56.4 37.8 50.0 51.7 53.6 59.1

The right fastening 33.4 39.1 36.8 50.1 36.7 40.4 56.6 51.5 55.9

Average value 38.0 45.2 54.7

Conclusions
(1) The relationship between rail’s displacement and lateral forces is not fully rendered as
proportional relationship[6]. There is a "turning point" in the entire curve of displacement, and the
two curves about the "Turning point" can be approached by linear interpolating function.
(2) As the rail slipping, the size of the lateral force is connected with the fastener’s bolt torque.
(3) The measured value of WJ-8 rail fastening’s transverse stiffness is larger than the theoretical
value，and the recommended value of rail fastening’s transverse stiffness is respectively taken as 38,
45 and 55kN/mm, under the conditions of that the corresponding torque is 140, 160 and 200N·m.

Acknowledgements
The research described in this paper was financially supported by the Joint Funds of the National
Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. U1361204, U1334203, U1134209); the National
Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51378513, 50908236); the National Key
Technology R&D Program (Grant No. 2013BAG20BH00); the Teacher Research Fund of Central
South University of China (Grant No. 2013JSJJ021); the Science and Technology Foundation of
Chinese Railway Corporation (Grant Nos. 2013G003-A-3, 2012G013-B, 2013G008-E,
2012G011-A-2); the Open Fund Project of Hunan Provincial University Innovation Platform of
China (Grant No. 12K007).

References
[1] Miao Cai-xia, Lian Liang-song. Dynamic analysis of track structure’s elasticity and lateral
displacement. East China Jiaotong University Journal, 2004,21(4) 22-25.(In Chinese)
[2] Chen Xiu-Fang. Rail engineering, China Building Industry Publishing House, Beijing, 2005.
(In Chinese)
[3] China Academy of Railway Sciences. Temporary technical conditions of passenger dedicated
line’s fastening systems. China Academy of Railway Sciences, Beijing, 2006. (In Chinese)
[4] Ministry of Railways, Science and Technology Division. The interim technical conditions of
WJ-8 type rail fastening, China Railway Publishing House, Beijing, 2009. (In Chinese)
[5] China Academy of Railway Sciences. WJ-8 fasteners technical tests. China Academy of
Railway Sciences, 2009. (In Chinese)
[6] Feng Shu-qin, Li Rui. Analysis of high-speed railway’s fastening for lateral deformation of rail.
Shanxi Architecture, 2007,33(31) 267-269. (In Chinese)
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Experimental Study on the Transverse Stiffness of WJ-8 Rail Fastening

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