LABORATORY TEST RESULTS OF GLUED INSULATED RAIL JOINTS ASSEMBLED WITH TRADITIONAL STEEL AND FIBRE-GLASS REINFORCED RESIN-BONDED FISHPLATES

ISSN 2307–3489 (Print), ІSSN 2307–6666 (Online) Наука та прогрес транспорту. Вісник Дніпропетровського національного університету залізничного транспорту, 2019, № 3 (81) ЗАЛІЗНИЧНА КОЛІЯ ТА АВТОМОБІЛЬНІ ДОРОГИ UDC 625.143.46:678.5-026.569 A. NEMETH1*, S. FISCHER2 1*Dep. Transport Infastructure and Water Resources Engineering, Szechenyi Istvan University, Egyetem Sq., 1, Gyor, Hungary, 9026, tel. + 36 (96) 613 544, e-mail , ORCID 0000-0002-3477-6902 2Dep. Transport Infastructure and Water Resources Engineering, Szechenyi Istvan University, Egyetem Sq., 1, Gyor, Hungary, 9026, tel. + 36 (96) 613 544, e-mail , ORCID 0000-0001-7298-9960 LABORATORY TEST RESULTS OF GLUED INSULATED RAIL JOINTS ASSEMBLED WITH TRADITIONAL STEEL AND FIBRE-GLASS REINFORCED RESIN-BONDED FISHPLATES Purpose. The authors’ aim is to evaluate more precisely the deterioration process of glued insulated rail joints with polimer-composite and steel fishplates regarding to own laboratory tests. Methodology. The laboratory tests were executed by three-point static and three-point dynamic (fatigue) bending tests’ measurement results related to glued insulated rail joints with fibre-glass reinforced polymer-composite fishplates (brand: APATECH). During the research the static three-point bending tests were performed on rail joints assembled with three different rail profiles (MÁV48, 54E1 (UIC54) and 60E1 (UIC60)) with three specimens, measured on 13 different support bay values before fatigue test, as well as after 3.5 million loading cycles (the degradations process was checked after every 0.5 million cycles) on polymer-composite and steel fishplated rail joints. Findings. The investigation of fiber-glass reinforced and steel fishplated rail joints (three-point static and dynamic bending laboratory tests) are in progress. Considering to them, the mechanical deterioration processes were able to be determined by measurements of deflection values compared to original ones (i.e. before fatigue tests). The differences can be pointed out by analysis of measurement results related to both types of glued insulated rail joints (steel and polymer-composite fishplated ones). Originality. The goal of this research is to investigate the application of this new type of glued insulated rail joint and to determine the ultimate lifetime of the investigated rail joints, e.g. how much time they can be safely held in the railway track without damage. In the international literature no one has investigated this field of glued insulated rail joints. Practical value. The fibre glass reinforced resin-bonded fishplated glued insulated rail joints and ‘control’ steel fishplated glued insulated rail joints were built into railway line (between Kelenföld and Hegyeshalom state border) in Hungary at three different locations. In this article the investigation of deterioration process of gluedinsulated rail joints and steel fishplated glued insulated rail joints are demonstrated only by laboratory bending tests. Keywords: laboratory tests; fibre glass; fishplate; railway joint; degradation Purpose In this paper the authors summarize the laboratory three-point bending tests results related to glued insulated rail joints with special fibre-glass resinbonded (Russian branded, exact type: APATECH) reinforced plastic fishplates, as well as traditional steel fishplates. Regarding to fisplated glued insulated rail joints the most problems are the false railway control signs due to rail ends failures which resulting the railway capacity restriction. Other probCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International doi: https://doi.org/10.15802/stp2019/171781 lems are for example the implementation of glue material, endposts, rail ends and wear of rail profile inner corner and plastic deformation. In the international literature the researchers have been dealt with the following subtopics related to insulated or glued insulated rail joints:  regulations related to design, mechanical dimensioning and formation [15, 26],  specification of common failures and failure types of rail joints and identifying of the reason of failure [9, 10, 21, 23, 24, 25, 29, 36, 38, 39, 40, 45, 50, 54, 65, 69], © A. Nemeth, S. Fischer, 2019 65 ISSN 2307–3489 (Print), ІSSN 2307–6666 (Online) Наука та прогрес транспорту. Вісник Дніпропетровського національного університету залізничного транспорту, 2019, № 3 (81) ЗАЛІЗНИЧНА КОЛІЯ ТА АВТОМОБІЛЬНІ ДОРОГИ  enhancement and improvement of rail joints (mechanical joints, insulated joints, as well as glued insulated joints) and components of these rail joints [2, 12, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 36, 39, 45, 53, 54, 58, 69],  evaluation of the significance of various materials of rail endpost on bearing capacity and stiffness of rail joints [2, 16, 21, 22, 23, 25],  analysis of rail joints in structural and electrical ways [2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 38, 45, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 65, 68, 69],  investigation of elastic and plastic deformation (mainly vertical deflection) behavior of rail joints, as well as the stress-strain distribution in the rail head and fishplates; analysis of wheel-rail contact related to stress-strain distribution and wear process [2, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24, 27, 29, 32, 33, 36, 37, 45, 50, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 68, 69],  examination of the effect of the arc longitudinal form at railhead edges on the evolved stress values in the rail head [12, 57],  analysis of support characteristics of rail joints, railway tracks and also ballast settlements [1, 34, 35, 36, 45, 64],  examination of bonding material (between fishplates and rail webs) quality suitability [51, 52, 65, 66],  investigation of the amount of used bonding material between due to assembly procedure, as well as the influence of the glue surface markings on bearing capacity of the whole rail joints [51, 52, 65, 66],  analysis of glue material de-bonding symptom [52, 53, 65],  investigation of the influence of the usage of square and inclined rail joints on the structural behavior of the rail joints [8, 11, 12, 13, 18, 36, 37, 58, 65],  examination of the effect of the thickness of the endpost element [19, 21, 22, 25, 57, 58],  analysis of lipping (and/or ratchetting) at rail ends next to endpost element [24, 25, 27],  analysis of electric arc burning at insulated rail joints in high-speed railway stations [17],  examination of dynamic effect due to under sleeper pads [34],  development of special methodologies and Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International doi: https://doi.org/10.15802/stp2019/171781 66 techniques for localizing and identification of faults (electrical and/or structural) in rail joints [2, 7, 13, 25, 40, 49, 55, 56, 59, 65],  examination of dynamic effects due to rail joint failures and or defects [9, 10, 11, 23, 31, 32, 33, 40, 50, 51, 55, 60, 61, 64, 68, 69],  taking into account of dynamic effects of railway vehicl (...truncated)