Thermal Expansion And Contraction Of High-speed Rail Tracks

When riding on a high-speed rail, have you noticed that you can hardly hear the "clang" sound when the train is running? This is thanks to the seamless tracks used by high-speed trains. Since the high-speed rail runs at a speed of more than 140 kilometers per hour, if there is a gap between the rails, it may cause safety accidents such as derailment. So, how to solve the problem of thermal expansion and contraction of rails? Will the rails be deformed as a result?

Traditional rails are fixed with sleepers and spikes, but due to the low pressure, the rails cannot be completely locked, so gaps need to be reserved to release the pressure. The seamless track controls the thermal expansion and contraction deformation of the rails between the two sleepers, and even if a slight deformation occurs, it will not affect the operation of the train.

Specifically, the seamless track presses the rails firmly on the sleepers through gussets and bolts. Because the fixing device is elastic, when the rails are lifted upward, the fixing device can absorb this force and transmit it to the sleepers through screws. In addition, the expansion coefficient of the rubber pad under the rail is greater than that of the rail, so that the bottom of the rail is always in a non-empty stress state.

This design ensures the safety and comfort of high-speed trains when traveling at high speeds, while also solving the problem of thermal expansion and contraction of rails.