Ultrasonic Inspection for Serious Defects on Fusion Welds of Rail
Mitsumasa TATSUMI, Katsuyoshi UEYAMA, Ryuichi YAMAMOTO, Syouichi KUDOH
In Japan, four types of welding method have been used for rail welding. Among
them, alumino-thermic welding and enclosed arc welding are found liable, though
slightly, to cause weld defects. Therefore, ultrasonic test has been applied
for their welds. However, this inspection is not practical for reliability estimation
of welds. We try to reexamine the ultrasonic test standard for rail welds.
As a result, it becomes clear that the grade of weld defects, which are inspected
by "bottom double-probe method ", is correlated with static strength and dynamic
strength of welds, and that " bottom bouble-probe method " is effective for preventing
an early stage damage to alumino-thermic welds and fatigue damage, which occur in the
bottom of rail, to enclosed arc welds.