1. USFD
VIJAYAWADA
DIVISION

2. USFD
RAIL TESTING
WELD TESTING

3. Types of
Rail Testing
> 40 GMT Rail Testing(During Test free Period)
Switch portion of Point (Once in a year)
NBC+GFC Testing as per GMT
Winter precaution testing (one round before Oct)

4. Frequency of Testing for Rails on BG routes
Route GMT
Frequency
≤ 5
2 yrs
5 - 8
1 yr
8 - 12
9 months
6 months
4 months
3 months
2 months
1.5 months
> 80
1 month

5. Types of Weld Testing New Welds Testing Service Welds Testing
Initially After Execution
Service Welds Testing
Bridge Approaches
Every year before October
Periodic Testing as per GMT
After One Year of Initial Testing

6. Frequency of AT Weld Testing
as per correction slip No.3
S.No
Type of Weld
Type of Testing
Testing Schedule 1
Conventional AT Weld
Periodic Tests
Every 40 GMT or 5 Years,
whichever is earlier 2
SKV Weld
Acceptance Test
Immediately after Welding 3
First Periodic Test
1 Year 4
Further Tests Based on Route GMT
As per Schedule given below 5
Major Bridges & Approaches

7. Frequency for SKV Weld testing
As per correction slip No.3
GMT
Frequency
>80
1 year
>60≤80
1.5 years
>45≤60
2 years
>30≤45
3 years
>15≤30
4 years
0-15
5 years
Incase of welds on Major Bridges & Bridge approaches(100 m on either side) and in tunnels & on tunnel approaches(100 m on either side), the minimum frequency shall be once in a year.

8. GMT PARTICULARS OF BZA DIVISION 2015-16
SECTION
KM FROM-TO
GMT UP
Rail Testing
Weld Testing
GMT DN
Frequency
BZA – KI
42.58
2 Months
3 Years
47.85
2 Years
GDR-VKT
45.93
37.89
3 Months
VKT-BTTR
BTTR-TEL
48.5
34.54
TEL-KCC
KCC-BZA
67.72
1½ Months
1.5 Years
47.52
BZA-NDD
53.9
39.5
BZA-NDD UP1/DN1
NDD-SLO
54.84
41.7
SLO-DVD
44.12
39.92
SLO-CCT
17.16
4 Months
4 Years
10.3
9 Months
5 Years
COA-CCT
UP DN
VKT-KAPT
UP DN
7.73
12 Months
17.15
GDR-RU
32.29
28.56
KCC-GNT
21.20
15.18
6 Months

9. Probes used in Rail Testing
0° For central portion of Rail
45° For SEJ & Scabs and Wheel burns
(with Test Rig)
70° For Gauge face, Non-Guage face and Central portion of Rail
Probes used in Weld Testing
0° Up to central portion of weld
45° For bottom flange center in weld (Halfmoon crack)
70° For head and flange of weld
45° Rig (For New Welds)
70° Side Looking Probes.

10. DEFECTS DETECTABLE BY VARIOUS PROBES
HORIZONTAL FLAWS - 0o PROBE
TRANSVERSE FLAWS - 70o PROBE
BOLT HOLE FLAWS (Horizontal) - 0o PROBE
GFC & NGFC FLAWS - 70o PROBE

11. Defects in Rail

12. 0° for central portion of weld
RAIL TESTING
0° for central portion of weld
0° 4 Mhz Freq. Probe
0° 4 Mhz Freq. Probe
Rail
Weld

13. Area Covered by 70° central Probe

14. Guage Face Corner probe Guage Face & Non Guage face Corner probe
Area Covered by
Guage Face Corner probe
Area Covered by
Guage Face & Non Guage face Corner probe

15. 0° for central portion of weld
SKV WELD TESTING
0° for central portion of weld
0° 2 Mhz Freq. Probe

16. 70° for head of weld

17. 70° for flange of weld

18. 45° for bottom flange center in weld

19. DEFECT CLASSIFICATION IN SINGLE/DOUBLE RAIL TESTING (RAILS)
Non-Reportable
Reportable
Classification/Mark
BTV /
OBS / +
Mark on either side of Web
IMR / +++
Probe used
Location of defect
Horizontal
Vertical 0°
Within Fish plated Area -
No Back Echo with or without shifting flaw echo / with or without multiple echoes for any horizontal length
Outside Fishplated Area
No Back Echo with or without shifting flaw echo for any horizontal length < 20mm
No Back Echo with or without shifting flaw echo for any horizontal length > 20mm
70° Central
Normal track
< 30%
< 20%
≥ 30% to 50%
≥ 20% to 60%
≥ 50%
≥ 60%
Vulnerable Locations
≥ 30%
≥ 20%
70° Guage Face & Non-Guage Face
< 15%
> 20%
≥ 15% to 30%
≥ 15%

20. DEFECT CLASSIFICATION IN SINGLE/DOUBLE RAIL TESTING (WELDS)
Non-Reportable
Reportable
Classification/Mark
BTV /
OBSW / +
Mark on either side of Web
IMRW / +++
Probe used
Location of defect
Horizontal
Vertical 0°
Vulnerable Locations -
No Back Echo with or without shifting flaw echo
Normal track
70° Central
< 30%
< 20%
≥ 30% to 50%
≥ 20% to 60%
≥ 50%
≥ 60%
≥ 30%
≥ 20%
70° Guage Face & Non-Guage Face
< 15%
> 20%
≥ 15% to 30%
≥ 15%

21. DEFECT CLASSIFICATION IN SKV WELD TESTING
Reportable
Classification/Mark
DFW (O) / O
Mark on either side of Head
DFW(R) / ++
Probe used
Location of defect
Horizontal
Vertical
0° Probe
Within weld -
No Back Echo with or without shifting flaw echo
70o 2MHz probe (flange testing for AT welds)
Head
Any Moving Peak
≥40%
>60%
Foot
45o / 70° (SIDE LOOKING) 2MHz probe (flange testing for AT welds)
Half Moon
>20%
45° / 2MHz (2 Nos)
((For New AT Welds)
Head, Foot, Web

22. Rail Testing: Action to be Taken
IMR/ IMRW:
SR 30 kmph to be imposed immediately by USFD PWI.
It should be clamped with joggled fish plate with in 24 Hrs
Should be replaced with in 3 days of detection.
OBS/OBSW:
USFD PWI should advise sectional PWI with in 24 hours.
To be clamped with Joggled fish plates with in 3 days, till such time keyman should watch during his daily patrolling.

23. Weld Testing: Action to be taken
In case of DFW(O)
SR 30 kmph or stricter to be imposed immediately by USFD PWI & communicate to Sectional SSE/JE.
With SR 30kmph, immediately to be joggled with minimum two tight clamps and SR can be relaxed to normal after joggled fish plating with 2 far end tight bolts within 3 days.
Joint is to be kept under observation.

24. Action to be Taken-Contd.
ii) In case of DFW(R)
SR 30 kmph or Stricter to be imposed immediately by USFD PWI & communicate Sectional SSE/JE.
SR can be relaxed to normal after joggled fish plating with 2 far end tight bolts.
Should be removed within 3 months.
In case of Non-removal within three months, a speed restriction of 75 kmph for loaded goods train and 100 kmph for passenger train should be imposed.

25. Action to be taken-Contd.
as per correction slip No.3
In case of DFW(O) / DFW(R) on Major Bridges & Approaches(100 m on either side) and in tunnels & on tunnel approaches (100m either side), the following action to be taken:
Should Communicate to sectional SE/JE P.Way about the flaw location.
Protection of defective weld using clamped joggled fishplate within 24 Hours.
Should be removed within 3 days of detection.

26. Limitation of Ultrasonic Flaw Detection of Rails
A 2 to 3 mm deep layer from Rail Table in Double crystal Probe and a 6 to 7 mm in single crystal probe can not be tested as it falls in the dead zone of the probe .
To detect the defect efficiently, ultrasonic beam is to be directed towards the flaw perpendicularly.
At fish plated joint, if the cracks are not favorably oriented detection may not be possible.
Similarly, if the cracks are propagating vertically downwards or upwards, detection is not possible.
Cracks lesser than 0.8mm size cannot be detected

27. Limitation of Ultrasonic Flaw Detection of Rails - Contd
Rails having rust, pitting, hogging, battering of rail end, misalignment of joints, scabs, wheel burns and other surface imperfections restrict proper acoustic coupling between probe and rail table and may not permit detection of flaws.
In the event of dimensional variations in the gauge and also at sharp curves it is possible that the probes are not properly contacting the rail surface while testing with Double Rail Tester.

28. AREA NOT COVERED BY USFD IN RAIL TESTING

29. CS No.3 to USFD Manual – Imp points.
Defect at any location which is detected by two or more probes and are considered to be classified as OBS/OBSW based on peak pattern of individual probe, should be classified as IMR/IMRW and action shall be taken accordingly as per Para 6.4.
In case two or more OBS/OBSW defects are located within a distance of 4.0 metre from each other, such OBS/OBSW defects shall be classified as IMR/IMRW and action shall be taken accordingly.
Sensitivity setting of equipment and probes shall be done every 3 days.

30. CS No.3 – Guidelines for Testing of Tongue Rails
For purpose of USFD testing of tongue rails of points and crossings, the tongue rail can be demarcated in three zones as under:
Zone-I : This part of tongue rail of point & crossings where full width of rail head is available, shall be covered in normal rail testing using double rail tester. In some of the switches in which
guide roller of double rail tester binder the movement of trolley up to full width of rail head part,
lower dia of guide roller shall be used.
Zone-2 : This part of tongue rail shall be tested manually using 70° /2 MHz , Single crystal
probe having crystal size 20 dia. or 20x20 mm square crystal.
Zone -3 : This part of the tongue rail shall be examined visually.
Classification of defects : The defect classification shall be made as per provisions given in item l(A), 2(A) , 3 (A) and 4(A) of Annexure-II-A of 'Manual for Ultrasonic testing of rails & welds, (Revised-2012)‘. However, in zone-2 provisions given in item 2(A) and 3 (A) of Annexure-II-A of Manual for U1trasonic testing of rails & welds, (Revised-2012)' shall be applicable.
Action to be taken after detection of defects: SE/JE (P.Way)/USFD shall impose speed restriction of 30 Kmph or stricter immediately and to be continued till flawed tongue rail is replaced which should be done within 3 days of detection.