Effect of Chemical Composition, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties on the Wear Resistance of Rail Steel

Rail steel samples have been tested for abrasive wear and sliding wear. It is shown that the wear resistance of rail steel is mainly determined by the carbon content therein and by the dispersity and structural homogeneity thereof: with increasing carbon content in the rail steel, the wear resistance exhibits an increase due to a decrease in the interlamellar distance of pearlite, as well as to a decrease in the amount of excess ferrite. Also, increasing chromium amount in steel promotes an increase in wear resistance. It has been found that the wear resistance of rail steel depends on the combination of hardness and plastic properties thereof. A high wear resistance level is predicted for rails made of hypereutectoid steel with a carbon content amounting to about 0.90% and a chromium content of about 0.30%