| Summary: | Indonesian railways, to reduce track maintenance costs and increase
passenger comfort, have implemented continuous welded rail infrastructures. To
achieve and maintain their functions, these infrastructures require high weld
quality, which can be achieved using suitable welding methods therefore,
sustainable rail welding is essential. Although welded rails have been successfully
implemented in Indonesian railways, until now there are no clear standards or
regulations concerning them. This is unfortunate, as it very essential to maintain
high standard welded rail joints and it�s application.
The study will take into account the mechanical properties of each method
and the performance indicators related to Indonesian railway conditions such as
flexibility, time, productivity, troubleshooting and labour. Furthermore, cost
analysis is done to determine which method is more effective and productive
related to its cost. The study concluded that AT welding and gas pressure welding
is most suitable for Indonesian railway conditions. These two methods were
chosen since each welding method has different strengths and weaknesses
therefore, using one method is not recommended as they both serve different
purposes. AT welding is dedicated to maintenance works while gas pressure
welding is dedicated to new track construction. AT welding is chosen because it is
flexible, easy to implement, easy to maintain, easy to troubleshoot and can deliver
better consistency of it�s quality compared to arc welding. Gas pressure welding is
chosen because it has comparable high quality and mobility with flash butt
welding but it much more cost-effective than flash butt welding. According to the
cost analysis, a new flash butt machine requires eight times more expensive than
gas pressure welding which included the cost of workshop and maintenance.
To support welding applications, clear standards and regulations are
required in Indonesia to maintain a high standard of weld. Each method has the
ability to cover each other strength and weakness to make it more reliable welding
method. Sustainable rail welding can be achieved by recognizing the strengths and
weaknesses of each welding method and use it according to Indonesian railway
needs and requirements
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