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Taguchi based optimization to improve mechanical properties of high carbon rail steels via bainitic microstructure

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Abstract

Rail transportation systems constantly developing as a result of the increase in demand both in high-speed and freight operations globally. According to this demand and the increase in operational frequency the components fail rapidly. To extend the service life it is desired to develop high strength materials for the critical components of the rail systems. Therefore, in this study, isothermal transformation applied to extracted high carbon rail steels in order to obtain bainitic microstructure under various boundary conditions which shows superior mechanical properties. The experimental studies were conducted under varying austenitizing temperature, transformation time and temperature. The change in microstructure results with improved mechanical properties where combined high tensile strength and toughness values were obtained. Optical and SEM micrograph, XRD analysis and mechanical tests (hardness, impact, tensile tests) were carried out to clarify characteristics of the developed materials. The optimum combination of boundary conditions was obtained by using the analysis of signal to noise (S/N) ratio. In conclusion developed rail steels show better mechanical properties than conventional ones by 21 % in hardness, 16 % in tensile strength, 40 % in elongation and optimum parameters for heat treatment processes are clarified with Taguchi-based grey relational analysis.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Railway Research and Technology Centre (DATEM) of Turkish State Railways and the support received from the Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit under grant number 2155.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, 06010, Türkiye

    Abdulkadir Kilic & Yasin Sarikavak

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  1. Abdulkadir Kilic
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  2. Yasin Sarikavak
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Correspondence to Yasin Sarikavak.

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Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no known actual or potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, the authorship and/or the publication of this article.

Abdulkadir Kilic is a mechanical engineer and PhD candidate in Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Mechanical Engineering Department. His research interests include railway materials, mechanical properties of materials, optimization, and mechanical tests.

Yasin Sarikavak is currently teaching at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Mechanical Engineering Department in Türkiye. His research interests include railway engineering high speed trains, mechanical properties of materials, optimization, numerical simulation of systems, welding and joining, non-destructive inspection, and non-traditional machining.

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Kilic, A., Sarikavak, Y. Taguchi based optimization to improve mechanical properties of high carbon rail steels via bainitic microstructure. J Mech Sci Technol 37, 2363–2373 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-0413-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-0413-x

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