• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.1243-1251
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of initial clamping force of tension clamp on the performance of an elastic rail fastening system used in sharp curve track. In this study, the initial clamping force and the increasing lateral wheel loads were conducted in the analytical and experimental study, i.e., finite element analysis, laboratory and field test. Using the analytical and experimental results, the performance of the tension clamp was investigated. It was found that the stress of tension clamp depends on the initial clamping force. Therefore the initial clamping force appeared to directly affect the compression stress of the tension clamp. It was found that the compression stress of tension clamp was transferred to the tensile stress by applied the lateral wheel load in service sharp curve track. Further, it was concluded that the initial clamping force was applied on the strengthening force for the tension clamp and then the appropriate initial clamping force was important to ensure a stable performance and long term endurance of tension clamp.