REGARDING THE ISSUE OF RAIL PROFILE CONSTRUCTING

Abstract

The operational durability of railway rails, along with steel purity, physical and mechanical properties, and straightness, depends on the rail profile: the dimensions of its elements and the weight per linear meter. To date, the only rail profiles used on mainline railways in Russia are the P50, P65, and P75, which were developed in the middle of the 20th century. On domestic railways, the overwhelming majority of rails are of the P65 type. Tightening operating conditions necessitate the development of new profiles, particularly for the Eastern Polygon, which requires rails with increased wear resistance for high-speed travel. This paper analyzes the main cross-sectional dimensions of domestic and foreign railways. An expression linking the main cross-sectional dimensions is established and mathematically substantiated. This expression applies to all rail types, demonstrating that all railways form a family of similar shapes constructed according to common rules. It has been shown that the common design of these rails is their conformity to the golden ratio in terms of their geometric characteristics. This method for constructing new rail types facilitates the creation of new profiles while maintaining the required structural strength of the rails, which is largely determined by the harmonious combination of profile elements.