Hovorukha V., Hovorukha A., Sobko T., Semyditna L. Reliability improvement of track infrastructure in open-pit rail transport

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Parent Category: Geo-Technical Mechanics, 2025

Category: Geo-Technical Mechanics, 2025, Issue 173

Geotech. meh. 2025, 173, 38-50

 

RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENT OF TRACK INFRASTRUCTURE IN OPEN-PIT RAIL TRANSPORT

Hovorukha V.

Hovorukha A.

Sobko T.

Semyditna L.

M.S. Poliakov Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

UDC 622.6+622.68 

Language: English

Abstract. The article presents the results of experimental studies on the operational reliability of the track infrastructure in industrial open-pit railway transport, evaluated by the criterion of track gauge variation due to the accumulation of residual deformations in the structure of intermediate and joint rail fastenings in jointed track, and side wear of the rail head caused by increasing axle loads and train speeds. The experiments were conducted under real operating conditions of open-pit railway systems.

The study aims to identify potential causes of sudden failures and service life reduction in the track infrastructure by monitoring the change in track gauge in response to cumulative tonnage and train speed.

The obtained patterns describe the formation of both progressive and sudden failures in the intermediate and joint fastenings of the track infrastructure in industrial open-pit railway transport. The study also establishes the probability and duration of uninterrupted operation of technical components and systems, in accordance with the specified reliability level and reliability margin, based on track gauge variation as a key parameter and depending on the service life and operational period.

It was found that the maximum deviations in track gauge ranged from minus 20 mm (1500 mm) to plus 30 mm (1550 mm), which is a fivefold increase in both narrowing and widening compared to the standard tolerance range of minus 4 mm to plus 6 mm.

The study identified regularities in the intensity of maximum gauge variation in relation to the volume of traffic and train speed. Specifically, the rate of gauge change was 10.4 mm per 1 million gross tons at train speeds of 4–12 km/h and 13.5 mm per 1 million gross tons at 12–24 km/h – an increase by a factor of 1.3.

According to the study, the time to failure for track infrastructure of a new design based on the gauge deviation criterion is as follows: for intermediate rail fastenings with reinforced concrete sleepers and spike fixings – up to 2 years at a cumulative load of 1 million gross tons, with a probability of failure-free operation ≤ 0.8; for structures with pre-stressed concrete sleepers and screw/bolt/anchor fastenings – 15 years at 50 million gross tons, with a probability of failure-free operation ≥ 0.95 and a reliability index of 1.0.

Keywords: reliability, track gauge, industrial open-pit railway transport, track infrastructure.

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Hovorukha Volodymyr, Candidate of Technical Sciences (Ph.D), Senior Researcher of the Department of Geomechanical Foundations of Surface Mining Technologies, M.S. Poliakov Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IGTM of the NAS of Ukraine), Dnipro, Ukraine, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Hovorukha Andrii, 1st Class Engineer of the Department of Geomechanical Foundations of Surface Mining Technologies, M.S. Poliakov Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IGTM of the NAS of Ukraine), Dnipro, Ukraine, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Corresponding author).

Sobko Tamara, Master of Science, Main Designer of the Department of Geomechanical Foundations of Surface Mining Technologies, M.S. Poliakov Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IGTM of the NAS of Ukraine), Dnipro, Ukraine, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Semyditna Liudmyla, Leading Engineer of the Department of Geomechanical Foundations of Surface Mining Technologies, M.S. Poliakov Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IGTM of the NAS of Ukraine), Dnipro, Ukraine, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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