| COMPENDEX Antwortnummer 7 - © 1998 EI |
| Title |
| | Development of a semi automatic/automatic rolling stock wheel ultrasonic testing facility. |
| Author |
| | Ward, M. (Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, Aust) |
| Meeting Title |
| | Fourth International Heavy Haul Railways Conference. |
| Meeting Location |
| | Brisbane, Aust |
| Meeting Date |
| | 04 Sep 1989 |
| Meeting Title |
| | Fourth International Heavy Haul Railways Conference. |
| Meeting Location |
| | Brisbane, Aust |
| Meeting Date |
| | 04 Sep 1989 |
| Publication Source |
| | Mechanical Engineering Transactions - Institution of Engineers, Australia v ME15 n 2 1990.Publ by IE Aust, Barton, Aust.p 134-139
CODEN: METSD8 ISSN: 0727-7369 |
| Publication Year |
| | 1990 |
| Meeting Number |
| | 13693 |
| Document Type |
| | Journal |
| Treatment Code |
| | General Review; Experimental |
| Language |
| | English |
| Abstract |
| | Over the years of operation Hamersley Iron Railways have experienced numerous rolling stock wheel fractures some of which have caused catastrophic failure with subsequent derailment.Depending on the severity of the derailment, multi million dollar expenditure can occur with subsequent disruption to the operation.The majority of catastrophic wheel failures are caused by surface opening fatigue cracks either in the wheel tread or wheel flange areas.The surface opening fatigue cracks initiate from gouge marks caused by the retarder shoes on the wheel grippers at the ore car dumping facilities, propagate, and finally attain critical crack size whereupon catastrophic failure results.Wheels which have suffered overheating from either a drag braking or prolonged braking situation are a potential high risk.This is due to the reversion of the original compressive hoop stress from the wheel rim heat treatment manufacturing process, (which resists crack initiation and propagation), to a tensile residual stress, (which assists crack initiation and propagation).Mechanically damaged and overheated wheels are therefore, either in the isolated or combined case, a potential catastrophic failure/derailment risk.The aim of developing a semi automatic/automatic rolling stock wheel ultrasonic testing facility was to enable detection of these surface opening fatigue crack defects prior to attaining critical crack size and therefore prevent catastrophic failure.This paper will present the development steps of building the facility prototype, which is enabling an initial ultrasonic scan of the 2,500 ore car fleet, to determine the extent of the problem. (Author abstract) 4 Refs. |
| Accession Number |
| | 91(5):55791 |
