WELDING OF

RAILS

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METHODS OF WELDING
◼ FLASH BUTT WELDING

◼ ALUMINO THERMIC WELDING

◼ GAS PRESSURE WELDING

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ALUMINO
THERMIC
WELDING
VIDEO 1
VIDEO 2
ANIMATION

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CODES & MANUALS
◼ Manual for fusion welding of rails by
Alumino Thermic Process (September-
1998)

◼ Indian railway standard specification for

fusion welding of rails by Alumino
Thermic Process (IRS-T-19-1994)

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 CHEMICAL REACTION

◼ 3Fe3O4+8Al=4Al2O3+9Fe (3088OC,719Kcal)

◼ 3FeO+2Al=Al2O3+3Fe (2500OC, 187Kcal)

◼ Fe2O3+2Al=Al2O3+2Fe (2960OC, 181Kcal)

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6
 WELDING MATERIALS

◼ The following weld materials are required in sufficient

quantities and have to be stored in a secure and dry place:
◼ THERMIT welding kits

◼ Welding portions & Sand Mould Units

◼ Luting sand for luting the moulds
◼ Igniters- Store igniters separate from the welding portions
never store together in the welding portion containers.
◼ Multiple-Use crucibles
◼ Crucible thimbles
◼ Necessary compressor with torch for pre heating
◼ Double action weld trimmer

◼ Profile grinder

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 STEPS OF WELDING
◼ Rail end preparation
◼ Rail end alignment
◼ Moulds preparation
◼ Mould selection

◼ Mould installation

◼ Mould packing (Luting)

◼ Choice of portion as per rail type and section

◼ Crucible assembly preparation
◼ Preheating of rail ends
◼ Ignition of welding portion in the crucible &
Tapping
◼ Mould waiting and stripping
◼ Finishing of welded joint
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 SELECTION OF RAIL
◼ Rail wear (head & side ) should be within
permissible limits.
◼ Rail should be ultrasonically tested.
◼ Rail should not be twisted or warped.
◼ Rail ends should not be hogged or battered.
◼ Rail should not be corroded.
◼ Rail ends should not be flame cut.
◼ No bolt holes within 40mm from the rail ends.

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 SELECTION OF RAIL
◼ For SH rails, rail ends may be cropped to suitable distance
to eliminate bolt holes and heat affected zone if any.
◼ The process to be selected as per section and type of
rails.
◼ Free from excessive wear at rail seat, scabs or wheel
burns and corrugations.
◼ While using second hand rail the ends should be cropped
to eliminate fish bolt holes.
◼ If rail ends do not have bolt holes, the ends may be
cropped to a distance of 150mm for AT welds and 85mm
for flash butt welds from the center of welded joint to
eliminate HAZ.
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 TOLERANCE FOR SELECTION OF RAIL FOR WELDING

LL CHECK

ALLIGNMENT
CHECK

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 RAIL END PREPARATION
◼ 50 mm to be cleaned with
wire-brush, kerosene /
petrol
◼ All burrs to be removed
◼ Bent/hogged/battered rail
ends to be cut away
◼ Cut should be vertical and
square

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CUTTING OF RAILS

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PREPARATORY WORK
◼ Rail fastenings for at-least five sleepers
on either side to be loosened
◼ Joint sleepers to be shifted to obtain
clear working space
◼ Rails to be aligned – horizontally and
vertically
◼ Vertical alignment with help of wedges.
◼ Any difference in lateral alignment to be
kept on non-gauge side
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 GAP

◼ Should be uniform
◼ To be rechecked after completion of
alignment
◼ Consequences of less gap
◼ Consequences of excess gap

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 MATERIAL : PREFABRICATED
MOULD
◼ To be supplied by
portion manufacturer
◼ Should be intact
◼ Should be dry
◼ Vents should not be
blocked

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 FIXING OF MOULD
◼ To be fixed centrally w.r.t. gap
◼ Gap between mould and rail to be well
packed with luting sand
◼ After fixing, mould jacket / shoe to be
tightened.

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MOULD FIXING

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 PRE-HEATING
◼ 3 Techniques :
◼ Air Petrol Mixture (10-12 minutes) ( 7+ .7 kg/cm2)
◼ Compressed Air Petrol Mix ( 4-4.5 minutes) (.2-.3
kg/cm2 )
◼ Oxy – LPG Mix (2-2.5 minutes) (Oxygen 7-8
kg/cm2 & LPG 2-2.5 kg/cm2 )

◼ Pre-heating should be uniform

◼ Square cut
◼ Symmetrical placement of mould
◼ Burner to be placed centrally
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PREHEATING OF RAILS

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EQUIPMENT FOR AIR PETROL
MIX

OLD SYSTEM
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EQUIPMENT FOR COMPRESSED
AIR PETROL MIX

NEW SYSTEM
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PRE-HEATING CHECKS
◼ Tank Pressure
◼ Pressure gauge working?
◼ Stop Watch
◼ Cleaning of burner
◼ Cleaning of brass nozzle
◼ Replace brass nozzle after 50-60 joints

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 CRUCIBLE
◼ Pre-heat before first weld
◼ Slag to be cleaned after each reaction
◼ Repair of crucible only with magnesite
powder or sodium silicate

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CRUCIBLE

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 WELDING PORTION

◼ Self life ?
◼Should not be damaged
or damp
◼ Drying not permitted
◼ Proper Storage to avoid
◼ Damage
◼ Dampness 30
 WELDING PROCESS
◼ Hand mix the portion
◼ Ensure 50 mm gap between
tap hole and sand core / top
of pouring gate
◼ Tapping
◼ After reaction subsides, allow
3 seconds for separation of
slag
◼ Lever tapping
◼ Consequences of early tapping
◼ Consequences of late tapping.
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 TRIMMING AND GRINDING
◼ Mould to be removed after ‘mould waiting
time’
◼ Trimming by weld trimmers
◼ Wedges not to be removed for 20 min after
stripping
◼ Risers to be cut after cooling to ambient
temperature
◼ Grinding by profile grinder

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 PAINTING OF
WELD COLLAR

◼ NORMAL CORROSION (ONCE IN 4 Yrs)

◼ NEW JOINT (IS-9862-1981)
◼ OLD JOINT (IS-9862-1981 OR IRS-P-30-1996)

◼ SEVERE CORROSION (EVERY YEAR AS PER

PARA 249(I) 0F IRPWM)
◼ NEW JOINT (M&C/PCN-111/88)
◼ OLD JOINT (M&C/PCN-111/88)
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ACCEPTANCE TEST
◼ VISUAL INSPECTION

◼ DIMENSIONAL CHECK

◼ USFD

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FINISHING TOLERANCE

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SAMPLE TEST JOINT
◼ ONE OUT OF 100 JOINT RANDOMLY
(AS PER IRS-T-19-1994)
◼ HARDNESS
◼ TRANSEVERSE LOAD/DEFLECTION TEST
◼ POROSITY

◼ GUARANTEE
◼ FOR A MIN PERIOD OF 2 YRS

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MISCELLANEOUS
◼ No AT Weld within 4 m of any other
weld or fish plated joint
◼ No welding if it is raining
◼ Rail surface on either side to be covered
by guards.
◼ Welding only by trained welder

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COMPETENCY CERTIFICATE
◼ Certificates
◼ Welding 72 UTS & 90 UTS with standard
gap
◼ Wide gap welding
◼ 110 UTSs rails

◼ Certification
◼ Departmental welder by TPP
◼ Firm’s welder by RDSO
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 COMPETENCY TRAINING
(Ref: Rly Bd’s Lr No. E(MPP)99/19/1/Vol.III
dtd.21.03.06)
Category Course Syllabi Periodicity Duration Agency

GM/ Initial TW-1 ----- 2 weeks TPP

Welder Course

GM/ Refresher TW-2 2 years 1 week TPP

Welder Course

JE, SE, Course for TW-3 Based on 1 week TPP

SSE Welding performan
(P.Way) Sup. ce

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 MISCELLANEOUS
◼ First train after 30 min of pouring of weld
metal
◼ Before passage of train – remove wedges,
shift joint sleeper, pack shifted sleeper
◼ Painting of weld collar.

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 PRECAUTIONS
◼ Trained welding superviser
◼ Trained welder
◼ Supervisor for not more than two welding
team (with in 50 m)
◼ Portion matching type & chemistry
◼ End square ness & verticality
◼ Perfect alignment
◼ Perfect cleaning of ends

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 PRECAUTIONS (contd..)
◼ Stop watch
◼ Pressure in the tanks
◼ Correct gap at head, web & foot
◼ Correct preheating time
◼ Cleaning of nozzles of burner
◼ Correct tapping & mold waiting time
◼ Gloves & colored glasses
◼ Don’t use damp mould

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 PRECAUTIONS (contd..)

◼ Lateral wear > 6mm

◼ No weld should lie within 4 m of any other
weld/fishplated joint

◼ Don’t use moist portion

◼ Approved agency, supplier

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 LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

◼ AT welding with three piece moulds

◼ Compressed air petrol preheating system
◼ Combination joint & different grade rails
◼ Wide Gap (75mm) Welding
◼ One shot crucible
◼ Self tapping thimble

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THREE PIECE MOULDS

52 Kg 90 UTS
M/S HTI/RAIPUR FOR
REGULAR ADOPTION
IN THE FIELD
M/S ITC, KANPUR
UNDER
DEVELOPMENT
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COMPRESSED AIR PETROL
◼ FOR 52 Kg 90 UTS & 60 Kg 90 UTS
◼ M/s ITC APPROVED FOR REGULAR
ADOPTION IN THE FIELD
◼ FOR M/s HTI/RAIPUR APPROVED FOR
52 Kg UPTO 27-02-05, APPROVAL FOR
60 Kg UNDER PROCESS

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COMBINATION JOINT

60 Kg 90 UTS/52 Kg 90 UTS
APPROVED FOR M/s ITC
APPROVAL FOR M/s
HTI/RAIPUR UNDER
DEVELOPMENT

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WIDE GAP WELDING

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ONE SHOT CRUCIBLE

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SELF TAPPING THIMBLE

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 STRENGTH

YIELD STRENGTH
S. TYPE OF YIELD UTS
N RAIL STRENGTH (MPA)
o (MPA)
RAIL WELD RAIL WELD
1 72 UTS 441 445 755 716

2 90 UTS 539 559 978 779

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FATIGUE STRENGTH

S. DESCRIPTION FATIGUE
No. STRENGTH

1 RAIL 28
Kg/mm2
2 52 Kg 72 UTS 28
Kg/mm2

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IMPACT STRENGTH
RAIL SECTION IMPACT STRENGTH
OF WELD AS % OF
PARENT RAIL
52 Kg 72 UTS 10

52 Kg 90 UTS 7.37

60 Kg 90 UTS 7.14

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MAJOR DEFECTS IN AT
WELDS

◼ LACK OF FUSION
◼ CUPPING
◼ SAND INCLUSION
◼ CRACKING OF WELD AFTER COOLING
◼ POROSITY

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MAJOR DEFECTS IN AT
WELDS
◼ POROSITY
◼ SLAG
INCLUSION

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