Enhanced 3D analysis of residual stress in rails by physically based fit to neutron diffraction data

The paper demonstrates applications of a new hybrid, experimental-numerical approach for studying 3D residual stress patterns in railroad rails. The new approach consists of two techniques developed at the Cracow University of Technology: an original sectioning scheme called as the transverse/oblique slicing (T/O-S) technique and a 2D physically based data smoothing/enhancement procedure called as the global method (GM). Both these methods were developed, tested and validated beforehand, presently their joint potential for analysis of real experimental data and benefits they bring will be shown. It will be done for an exemplary experimental data obtained upon actual destructive testing of rails by the neutron diffraction (ND) method performed in USA.