Deterioration of rail track geometry

Abstract

The condition of a railway track tends to deteriorate with time. The objective of this paper is to investigate this deterioration and to determine whether improvements in track geometry can retard the deterioration, and thus reduce maintenance requirements. A further objective of the paper is to investigate the effect of train lengths, axle loads and speed limits on deterioration. Maintenance problems are more acute on heavy haul lines and the coal line linking the Transvaal coal fields with Richards Bay was therefore selected for the study.

Die geometrie van 'n spoorbaan neig om met tyd agtemit te gaan. Die doel van die artikel is om hierdie agteruitgang te ondersoek en om te bepaal of verbeteringe aan spoorbaangeometrie die agteruitgang kan verminder en sodoende die behoefte aan instandhouding kan beperk. Aangesien instandhoudingsprobleme meer akuut is op lyne wat aan hoe belastingsonderwerp word, is die ondersoek geloots op seksies van die koollyn wat die Transvaalse steenkoolvelde met Richardsbaai verbind.