CE-363

Lecture 7: Creep in Rails

Dr. Ankit Gupta, Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
National Institute of Technology Hamirpur
Lecture Outline
Creep in Rails
Effect of Creep
Theories of creep
Creep Indicator
Methods to reduce Creep
Creep - Definition
Longitudinal movement of rails in a track
Location specific
Varies in magnitude

Creep - Indicators
Closing of joints in the direction of creep
Opening of joints at points where creep
starts
Scrapping / scratching marks on rail
flanges / web due to spike head
Creep - Effects
Opening or jamming of joints
Kink formation at rail joints
Sleepers get out of position affecting
gauge and alignment
Buckling of track derail the train
Points, crossings, switches, interlocking
gets distorted
Creep - Effects
Smashing of fish plates, bolts due to
stresses induced
Removal, replacement, maintenance
becomes difficult
Forging of ballast
Bending of bars
Creep - Theories
Wave theory
Percussion theory
Drag theory
Creep - Theories
Wave theory
Moving wheel loads set a wave motion in
rails.
A vertical reverse curve is formed ahead
of wheels in the rails
As wheel moves, the lift in front of the
moving load is carried forward, thus
causing creep.
Creep - Theories
Wave theory
Creep - Theories
Wave
theory
Creep - Theories
Wave theory
Wave action is controlled by PITCH and
DEPTH of wave

Pitch and Depth of wave depends upon
Track modulus
Track stiffness
Track stability
Creep - Theories
Wave theory
Control of Wave action
Use angular and heavy ballast
Lesser sleeper spacing
Bigger rail section
Increasing stiffness of track
Creep - Theories
Percussion theory
States that the creep is due to impact of
wheels at the rail end ahead at joints
At the rail joint, the wheel load presses
the trailing rail down thus causing an
impact of wheel with the forward rail
At strike, the force in the direction of
movement pushes the forward rail ahead
thus causing creep
Creep - Theories
Percussion theory
The resultant of vertical load and
forward force causes battering of rail
end (of forward rail).
Creep - Theories
Percussion theory
Creep - Theories
Percussion theory
Creep increases due to
Weak / loose fish bolts
Worn out Fish plates
Loose packing
Wide joint expansion gap
Heavy axle loads moving at fast speed

Creep - Theories
Drag theory
It relates to the motion of a locomotive
and the wagons
Driving wheels of the locomotive causes
backward thrust, pushing rail of the track
backward
Other wheels of the locomotive and
wheels of the wagons opposes this
motion (inertia effect) and push the rail in
the direction of travel
Creep - Theories
Drag theory
This is more than the effect of driving
wheels.
Creep - Other Causes
Starting,
Accelerating,
slowing, stopping of
wheels
- Starting or acceleration
causes backward thrust
- slowing or deceleration
causes push in rails in
forward direction

Thermal expansion /
contraction of rails
- Range in temperature
- effect of surroundings,
like shades
- location effect
Creep - Other Causes
Unbalanced traffic
- heavy traffic in one
direction
- Ill design of track
- More on curves
- More on steep
gradients
-
Poor maintenance of
Track
- type of rail (old / new;
light / heavy)
- fastenings, joints
- Ballast cushion,
formation
Creep - Measurement
Creep - Prevention
Pulling back the rails
Using crow bars and hooks through fish
bolt holes
Slow and tedious process
Practicable for only small lengths
Creep - Prevention
Use of steel sleepers
Steel through sleepers are best
Increase in number of sleepers can help

Rails Creep: Prevention
Using Anchors / Anti-creepers
4 anchors per rail if creep is 7.5 cm to 15
cm / month
6 anchors per rail if creep is 22.5 to 25 cm
/ month
used at level crossings, in yards and
places of heavy brake application
not used on bridges

Creep - Prevention
Creep - Prevention
Using Anchors / Anti-creepers
These are fastened to the foot of the rail
Anchors are fixed to rails either
By wedging action
By clamping
By a spring grip
Creep - Prevention
Important points
Should be able to resist the movement of the
rails
Should butt against the sleepers
Fixed to good sound sleepers
Should not be used on bridges