Case Studies in Residual Stress in Rail Components

The benefits of compressive residual stresses extend to many components used in the railroad industry. These stresses either suppress or delay fatigue crack formation or propagation. Tensile stresses, on the other hand, assist in crack propagation. This article will cover railway component functions and their manufacturing processes, the types and magnitudes of residual stresses, residual stress measurement methods, and the application of these methods to measuring the residual stresses in several rail components.