Deutsche Bahn's track network is subjected to very high levels of operational stress. High train speeds and heavy axle loads are the critical factors affecting the service life of the rails. This places increasing demands on the rail technology used and has tightened the requirements that need to be met by non-destructive material testing techniques. For example, defects occurring at or near the surface of rails can be a major cause of component failure and therefore require a test method that is specially designed to detect rail defects of this type. The study has shown that results of excellent quality can be achieved using eddy-current sensing methods. Head checks on the gauge corners of rails can be unambiguously detected. The tests have also demonstrated that the eddy-current technique is also capable of recognising other types of surface defects (e.g. Belgrospis, wheel burns, short-pitch corrugations, etc.). At the end of 2001, the DB Netz rail inspection train will be equipped with a 'production model' eddy-current detection unit. This unit, which will contain four eddy-current transducers for each rail, will enable the gauge corner and a large part of the running surface to be examined at inspection speeds of up to 100 km/h. The inspection trolley for manual testing, whose prototype is currently undergoing trials, will soon be transferred to DB Netz AG so that eddy-current detection can be incorporated into the scheduled rail inspection programme.
Eddy-current detection of head checks on the gauge corners of rails. Recent results
Wirbelstromprüfung an den Schienenkopf-Messkanten. Neuere Ergebnisse
2002
9 Seiten, 22 Bilder
Conference paper
Storage medium
English
Eddy-current detection of head checks on the gauge corners of rails. Recent results
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