Modelling of Mechanical Properties of Pearlitic Rail Steel

Abstract:

Railway has become more essential for both mass and goods transportation so that the rails are required to carry higher loads and exhibit longer lifetime. Thus, mechanical properties, especially strength and toughness of rail steel must be continuously increased. In the present work, microstructure, tensile properties and impact toughness of a pearlitic rail steel grade 900A were firstly characterized. It was found that the investigated steel showed high yield and tensile strengths, but moderate elongation. Subsequently, representative volume elements (RVE) model was employed to investigate the effects of bainitic phase on mechanical properties of pearlitic rail steels. The flow stress curves of the individual phases were defined with regard to the chemical composition. As a result, the relationships between predicted yield strengths and tensile strengths in dependence on the phase fraction of bainite were provided. The model can be used to identify the proper microstructure characteristic of rail steel.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 798)
• Pages: 3-8
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.798.3
• Online since: April 2019
• Authors: Patiphan Boonsukachote, Saranya Kingklang, Viton Uthaisangsuk*
• Keywords: Bainite, Mechanical Properties, Microstructure, Pearlitic Rail Steel, RVE Model

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