Experimental investigation on the fatigue and fracture properties of a fine pearlitic rail steel.

This article presents an experimental investigation on the fatigue and fracture properties of R350HT rail steel. The study aims to improve the strength, toughness, and wear resistance of railway steels. Various tests were conducted to quantify the fracture mechanics properties of the steel, including tensile tests, fatigue crack growth rate tests, and plane strain fracture toughness tests. The results provide valuable information for assessing the damage tolerance of railway rails and further developing rail steels. The findings suggest that R350HT steel has similar properties to other pearlitic rail steels but may have lower damage tolerance. [Extracted from the article]