Influence of Train Velocity on Rail Contact Fatigue Damage and How to Select Rail for High-speed

The simulation tests of rail contact fatigue damage in varied railways were carried out at a professional test machine. The results show the rail wear decreases meanwhile the contact fatigue damage increases with the train velocity increase when the velocity is below 200 km/h, and both of them decrease when the train velocity reaches 300 km/h. The results accord with the numerical simulation on computer. So it is concluded that the heat treated rail whose tensile strength is 1 100 MPa should be selected when the train velocity is below 200 km/h, and U71Mn hot rolled rail whose tensile strength, crack birth rate, and crack extension rate are relative low, or other rail whose component and property are similar to the U71Mn hot rolled rail, should be selected when the train velocity approaches 300 km/h on the only passengers transport railway.