Wheel impacts at insulated rail joints

This paper describes an ongoing research that is carried out to understand the impacts occurring at the insulated rail joints (IRJ) due to wheel passages. Part of the research involves field experimentation of insulated rail joints with both inclined cut and square cut joints, which are strain gauged carefully at the throat of the rails covered by the joint bars as well as at the foot of the rails. The paper briefly describes the strain gauge location strategy using a three dimensional finite element model of the IRJ. Data consisting of the vertical, shear and longitudinal strains are reported in the paper. The data are collected using an automated computer system powered by solar panels continuously. The data have provided valuable insight on the behaviour of the IRJs under impacts due to passage of wheels across the joints. Relative performance of the square cut and the inclined cut IRJs is also described.