Engineering studies on joint bar integrity, part I : field surveys and observed failure modes

This paper is the first of a two-part series describing a
research project, sponsored by the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), to study the structural integrity of joint
bars. In Part I of this series, observations from field surveys
conducted on revenue service track are presented. Automated
and visual inspections of rail joints were conducted to identify
defective joint bars. Detailed information and measurements
were collected at various joint locations.
The survey team consisted of personnel from ENSCO, Inc.
and Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), working in
cooperation with staff from participating railroads. Part II of
this series describes the development of finite element analyses
of jointed rail, which is being carried out by the Volpe National
Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center).