FATIGUE ANALYSIS OF AALRT BOLTED RAIL JOINT

The goal of this study is analyzing and identifying the stresses on bolted rail joint due to the
wheel load to predict and minimize failures caused. The three dimensional model has been
developed on modeling package of CATIAV5R16. In CATIAV5R16, different components of
wheel/rail assembly i.e. wheel, rail, joint, bars, nuts, bolts are created separately then all
components are assembled, and create a complete model of wheel/rail assembly. Assembly
model has created in assemble workbench of CATIA after individual component of joint had
created on part work bench. After the assembly is accomplished on CATIA, it was imported in to
the ANSYS v14.5 to analyze the stress caused by vertical load. The material properties of the rail
and wheel are assumed to be same. All the material properties and boundary conditions are being
applied to estimate fatigue stress. The analysis using the software ANSYS includes fatigue
stress, fatigue life, von miss stresses, shear stress and Equivalent elastic strain. These values have
been determined under the influence of axle load. The result obtained in this analysis is better
stress values for rail joint assembled by the modified geometry than the existing joint bar. During
the rail joint analysis Joint between the sleepers needed more attention than other parts, to reduce
the problem related to the rail joint.