RAILWAY

ENGINEERING
Rail Joint

Rail joints are necessary to hold together the adjoining ends of the
rails in the correct position, both in the horizontal and vertical
planes.

It is observed that strength of a rail joint is only 50 percent of the

strength of a rail.
Types of Rail Joints

• Supported Rail Joint

• Suspended Rail Joint
• Bridge Joint
• Welded Rail Joint
• Staggered Joint
• Square or Even Joint
• Compromise Joint
• Insulated Joint

Welded Rails-Advantages, Types, Methods

Sleepers

Sleepers are members generally laid transverse to the rails on which

the rails are supported and fixed, to transfer the loads from rails to
the ballast and subgrade below.

Types: sleepers may be made of different materials like

(a) Wooden sleepers

(b) Cast iron sleepers
(c) Steel trough sleepers
(d) Concrete sleepers like (i) RCC (ii) Prestressed concrete block
Functions of Sleepers-

1. To hold two rails to correct gauge

2. To provide a strong base and support to the rails and to distribute
load from the rails over sufficient area of ballast
3. To absorb blows and vibrations of the moving loads from the
train by acting as an elastic medium between rail and ballast
4. To maintain the alignment of the track
5. To provide stability to the track
6. To provide easy fixing and replacement of rail fastening without
disturbing traffic seriously
7. To provide track insulation for electrified system

Thus characteristics and requirement of good sleepers shall be such

that they will be able to perform the above functions.
Sleeper Density

Sleeper density is the number of sleepers per rail length. It is

specified as M+x or N+x, where M is the length of the rail in
meters, N is length of rail in yards and x is a number that varies
according to factors such as-

(a) axle load and speed

(b) type and section of rails
(c) type and strength of sleepers
(d) type of ballast and ballast cushion
(e) nature of formation

The number of sleepers per rail varies in India fromM+4 to M+7 for
main tracks, In Britain- N+4 sleepers, In America M+9 to M+11
Q1. Using a sleeper density of M+5, find out the number of sleepers
required for constructing a railway track 640 m long.(B.G.)

Q2. Find out the expression for sleeper density for a B.G. track if 19
sleepers are used under a rail.
Wooden or Timber Sleepers

Specifications:
The size of a wooden sleeper should be economical. It should
provide the desired strength to the sleeper as a beam as well as
bearing area. Depth of sleepers governs its stiffness and length &
width control the necessary bearing area on ballast. A sleeper need
not be packed through out its length by ballast.

Distance on either side of rail to be packed is 45 cm, 38cm & 30 cm

for BG, MG & NG respectively.

Timber sleeper shall be free from defects such as split ends, twisted
grains, presence of knots, warps etc and shall be treated & seasoned
with preservatives like oil, solution of zinc chloride and mercuric
chloride etc.
Size of wooden sleepers

B.G 274 x 25 x 13 cm
M.G 183 x 20 x 11 cm
N.G 152 x 15 x 10 cm

A 274 cm long sleeper is assumed to have 45 cm bearing length on

either side of each rail. Thus given bearing area = 2(2x45x25) =
4500 cm2.

Similarly on M.G and N.G , bearing areas are 3040 cm2. (4x38x20)
and 1800 cm2. (4x30x15).
Composite Sleeper Index

The suitability of timber for use as a sleeper is indicated by an

index
called composite sleeper index (CSI)

CSI = (S+10H)/20
where S = General strength of timber at 12% moisture content,
H= General hardness of timber at 12% moisture content

Indian Railway prescribe following values of CSI-

Type of sleeper Minimum C.S.I.

Bridge Sleeper 1455
Crossing Sleeper 1352
Track Sleeper 783
Concrete Sleepers-

The development of concrete sleepers that took place on various

railway systems was mainly based on the following concepts of
design.

(a) RCC of prestressed sleepers similar in shape and size to wooden

sleepers
(b) Block-type RCC sleepers connected by a steel tie bar
(c) Prestressed concrete blocks and a steel or a concrete tie bar
(d) Prestressed (pre-tensioned or post-tensioned) type of concrete
sleepers

These four concepts of design are the basis of the development of

present-day concrete sleepers.
Advantages of concrete sleepers:

a) Being heavy, improves the track modulus (which is the load per
unit length of rail to cause unit deflection).
b) Maintain gauge and alignment very satisfactorily.
c) Flat bottom of sleepers very suitable for modern methods of track
maintenances.
d) Suitable for track circuiting as they are poor conductors of
electricity.
e) Free from fire hazard.
f) Long lifespan, probably 40-50 years.
g) Suitable for mass production.
Disadvantages of concrete sleepers:

(a) Handling and laying is difficult and costly due to their large
weight
(b) Concrete sleepers are heavily damaged at the time of
derailment.
(c) Have no scrap value
Advantages of wooden sleepers over metal sleepers:

Wooden sleepers fulfill most of the requirements satisfactorily and

therefore where good timber is available, wooden sleepers are
essentially used. The followings are advantages of wooden sleepers.

1. Its is cheaper, easy to form and handle

2. In case of derailment, damage caused to the wooden sleepers is
less than that of metal sleepers
3. In yielding formations, timber sleepers are suitable for providing
ideal bearing surface for rails.
4. In track circuiting, rails are used as conductors of very small
current. The rails on wooden sleepers are automatically insulated
whereas special insulation is required on metal sleepers.
5. Wooden sleepers are less susceptible to corrosive action
6. Less amount of ballast is required with wooden sleepers than on
metal sleepers.
Disadvantages:

1. Metal sleepers have better fittings for holding rails than wooden
sleepers
2. A track on metal sleeper is less likely to be dislodged laterally
compared to that on wooden sleepers.
3. Decay due to insects, white ants, fungus etc. is more in wooden
sleepers – Average life of sleepers is 12 – 15 years for wooden & 35
– 40 years for metal sleepers.
4. Metal sleepers are unaffected by fire and have much greater scrap
value then other sleepers.
Self Study Topics (from book)-

Requirements of an ideal joint

Requirements of sleepers

Advantages and Disadvantages of Wooden Sleepers, Cast Iron,

Steel sleepers, Concrete sleepers, Prestressed Sleepers

Comparison of different types of sleepers

Steel Sleepers