Properties and Applications of Bainitic Railway Steel Prepared by Mechanical Alloying

Properties and Applications of Bainitic Railway Steel Prepared by Mechanical Alloying

Rahul Samanta, Gaurav Kumar Bansal, Swarup Kumar Ghosh, Gurudas Mandal
Copyright: © 2024 |Pages: 22
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-9385-4.ch007
OnDemand:
(Individual Chapters)
Available
$37.50
Current Special Offers
No Current Special Offers
TOTAL SAVINGS: $37.50

Abstract

Researchers face a significant challenge in designing low-carbon bainite rail steel, which offers better mechanical properties and corrosion resistance than high-carbon pearlitic steel tracks. High-carbon bainitic steel takes a long time to manufacture, so low-carbon bainite steel is preferred for heavy-haul railway tracks due to its shorter production time and cost-effectiveness. The steel is prepared through a specific heat treatment process, and although carbide formation is limited at lower temperatures, precipitation hardening is used to improve its properties. Mechanical alloying with the elements like Si, Ni, and Co is also considered to enhance further the mechanical and chemical properties of the bainitic rail steel. This chapter aims to find an economical solution to reduce accidents caused by the failure of pearlitic steel and improve safety in rail transportation.
Chapter Preview
Top

2. Rationale

The failure of currently used pearlitic rail steels can significantly threaten the safety measures of train operations and is followed by an increase in railway maintenance costs. Researchers have found that bainitic steels have the exciting potential to become at the forefront of the development of the steel industry (Garcia-Mateo & Caballero, 2007; Takahashi & Bhadeshia, 1991). Moreover, compared to traditional pearlitic rail steels with high carbon percentages, low-alloyed bainitic rail steels effectively showed a much better combination of toughness, wear resistance, and strength (Adamczyk-Cieślak et al., 2021; Pereloma & Edmonds, 2012; Tasak et al., 2014). Therefore, a significant need has occurred to fill the gap or mitigate the above-discussed problem. Thus, developing a new generation of rail materials, such as low alloyed bainitic steel with high performance, is very much required.

Complete Chapter List

Search this Book:
Reset