Railway applications - Axle surface treatments to improve mechanical properties - Additional requirements to EN 13261

In the UIC project ASTIMP (Axle Surface Treatment to Improve Mechanical Properties), new improved surface processes for axles were taken into account and summarised in report B 169/RP 48.

In this IRS, additional requirements to EN 13261 for the assessment of axles with surface treatment during the qualification process and the serial production are defined. Nevertheless, for some criteria, the choice is left for each industrial partner to agree on specific parameters in the technical specification.

Those new improved surface processes could allow the life cycle of these components (maintenance scheme, safety, life cycle cost, etc. to be adapted or even improved. A proposal for safety and LCC assessments is made in IRS 80882, the report B 169/RP 48 based on results of UIC prior projects (see reports UIC report B 169/RP 29 and report B 169/RP 44).

The possible improvements on fatigue limits can be evaluated according to the EN 13261 or EN 13103-1 process to assess new materials but they do not form part of this IRS. Nevertheless, the demonstration of a higher fatigue limit with a full-size test could be done with conservative loading and an additional safety coefficient or with the staircase method.

It integrates in full or in part the following UIC leaflets:

– none

It aims to complement the following standards:

– EN 13261