Ural Institute of Metals, Yekaterinburg, Russia

L. A. Smirnov, Dr. Eng., Prof., Scientific Director, RAS Academician
A. B. Dobuzhskaya, Cand. Eng., Head of Laboratory, e-mail: met@uim-stavan.ru

Nizhny Tagil Iron and Steel Works, Nizhny Tagil, Russia

S. S. Puzyrev, Cand. Eng., Deputy Head of Research Center (for Scientific Researches), e-mail: sergey.puzyrev@evraz.com
K. N. Shvedov, Head of the Central Plant Laboratory
A. A. Skorokhodov, Head of Bureau of Technical Dept., e-mail: Aleksey.skorokhodov@evraz.com

Currently, the problem of increasing the performance of rails, despite the positive results achieved in ensuring the quality of rail steel, is more acute than ever not only in Russia but also abroad. Analysis of rail failure during service on the road shows its high level in terms of contact fatigue defects, crushing, wear and thermomechanical damage. The operational durability of railway rails is largely determined by the structure and mechanical properties of rail steel. Railway rails are traditionally made of high-carbon pearlitic steel. As operating conditions become more stringent, heat treatment methods and chemical composition of steel have been improved to increase the strength and hardness of rails. Currently, it is possible to ensure a tensile strength of over 1300 MPa and a hardness of over 410 HB. Traditional grades of rail steel have reached the limit of increasing strength and hardness, and to further improve the operational characteristics of rails, it is necessary to create rail steel grades with a different structure. This is precisely why there is interest in using bainitic steels for the production of rails, which have a unique combination of increased strength and plastic properties.

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