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Abstract

Rail transportation is a vital global mode of transit, ensuring efficient movement of goods and passengers. However, traditional rail steels face challenges like wear, fatigue, and plastic deformation, often leading to failures and service disruptions. Head-hardened rails have emerged as a robust solution, offering superior mechanical properties that enhance railway network performance. This review explores the advantages of head-hardened rails, focusing on their role in improving wear resistance, fatigue strength, durability, and track maintenance. The high hardness and improved mechanical properties of these rails result in extended service life, lower maintenance costs, and enhanced operational efficiency, thereby boosting the reliability and safety of rail systems. The goal of the research is to examine various types of head-hardened rails, such as High Carbon Head Hardening (HCHH), Pearlitic Head Hardening (PHH), and Dual-Phase Head Hardening (DPHH) rails, each tailored to specific applications based on traffic loads, axle pressures, and operating conditions. Challenges in adopting head-hardened rails, including higher costs, manufacturing complexities, and welding issues, are also discussed. The review emphasizes the importance of precise heat treatment processes and ongoing research to optimize the microstructure and performance of these rails. Overall, this study underscores the critical role of head-hardened rails in advancing the durability, efficiency, and safety of railway networks. It advocates for continued innovation in rail engineering to support the development of sustainable and reliable global rail transportation systems.

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2025-03-19
2025-08-16

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/content/journals/cms/10.2174/0126661454358167250306083546
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A Comprehensive Review on Head Harden Rails for Improving the Railway Transportation
Bentham Science Publishers ; https://doi.org/10.2174/0126661454358167250306083546
/content/journals/cms/10.2174/0126661454358167250306083546
/content/journals/cms/10.2174/0126661454358167250306083546
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  • Article Type:     Review Article
Keywords: Head harden rails ; railway network ; wear resistance ; rail damage ; pearlite ; cementite ; maintenance ; fractures

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