Wear of Rails

• Definition :
The breakage, separation or cutting of rail due to
friction and abnormal heavy loads is called wear of Rails.
Classification of Wear of Rails
• Depending upon the position , the wear of rails can be
classified as follows :
1. Wear at the top or head of rails
2. Wear at the ends of rails
3. Wear on the sides of head of rails
Wear of rails on top or head of rail
• The top surface of rail gets direct impact of the load from the
wheels and hence abrasion, grounding and corrosion add to the
wearing out of the top surface.
• The metal from the top the rail flows and form projections
which are known as blurrs.
Causes
1. Rails worn out on top due to abrasive action of the rolling
wheels over them.
2. The heavy wheel loads are concentrated on very small areas.
This results in to flow of metal from top.
3. Impacts of heavy loads cause top of rail to wear.
4. Corrosion of exposed area if subjected to humid condition,
especially near sea, will cause wear of head of rail.
5. Grinding of sand particles which get deposited on the head of
the rail.
6. The metal on top of rail burn while starting, when the wheels
slip or when brakes are applied to the moving trains.
Wear at the Ends of Rails
• This wear of rails takes place at the ends of rails and
is found to be very much greater than the wear at the
top of rails. At the expansion gap, the wheels of the
train have to take a jump and during this jump, they
impart a blow on the ends of rails. This blow is the
main cause of wear of rails at ends.
Causes
1. Fish-bolts and fish-plates become loose.
2. The contact surface between rails and sleepers are worn out.
3. Sleepers at expansion joints get depressed due to settlement
of ballast at these points.
Wear on the Sides of Head of the rails
• This is most destructive type of wear occurs when tracks are
laid on curves.
Causes
1. Due to curvature, pressure of centrifugal force causes
grinding action of wheel flanges on the inner side of the head
of the outer rail.
2. The vehicles do not bend/turn to the shape of the curvatures
while negotiating a curve. This results into the rubbing
off/abrasion of the inner side of the head of outer rail by
wheel flanges.
Measures to reduce Wear of rails
• As it is clear from of the causes of wear, it is not possible to
eliminate the wear of rails completely. It can however be
reduced up to a certain extent and thereby useful life of the rail
can be increased .
Measures taken to reduce the wear…
1. Satisfactory track maintenance .
2. Inspection of expansion gap.
3. Exchange of inner and outer rails on curves .
4. Use of special alloy steel .
5. Use of lubrication oil .
6. Provision of check rails .
Determination of wear on rails
Wear of rail is determined by two methods:
I. Weight of worn out rail is measured and that weight is compared to
that of standard weight of rail.

II. Profile of the worn out rail is compared with the standard profile
and the reduction in the cross-sectional area is compared to the
original cross-sectional area of rail.

• The first method is more reliable, simple and quick.

• Generally, railways permit 5 percent wear on main lines and up to

maximum of 10 percent on branch and feeder lines.
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