The present paper discusses static and dynamic characteristics of various under sleeper pads (USP) that are to be used in the ballasted track systems as resilient vibroacoustic isolators. Four different USP samples were put to fatigue tests and static and dynamic bedding moduli were determined. The purpose of the tests, which were carried out up to 500 thousand load cycles, was to determine which USP have favourable and which unfavourable properties, taking into account their potential application as the elements used for energy dissipation and reduction of noise and vibration. The obtained results allowed the authors to indicate samples with a potential for further analysis and to reject those, which did not satisfy the adopted criteria.

The experimental material consisted of semi-finished products of high-grade, medium-carbon constructional steel with: manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum and boron. The experimental material consisted of steel products obtained in three metallurgical processes: electric and desulfurized (E), electric and desulfurized with argon-refined (EA) and oxygen converter with vacuum degassed of steel (KP). The production process involved two melting technologies: in a 140-ton basic arc furnace with desulphurisation and argon refining variants, and in a 100-ton oxygen converter. Billet samples were collected to analyze: relative volume of impurities, microstructure and fatigue tests. The samples were quenched and austenitized at a temperature of 880o C for 30 minutes. They were then cooled in water and tempered by holding the sections at a temperature of 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600o C for 120 minutes and air-cooled. Fatigue tests were performed with the use of a rotary bending machine at a frequency of 6000 cpm. The results were statistical processed and presented in graphic form. This paper discusses the results of microstructural analyses, the distribution of the relative volume of impurities in different size ranges, the fatigue strength characteristics of different production processes, the average number of sampledamaging cycles and the average values of the fatigue strength coefficient for various heat processing options.

This paper presents the findings of fatigue strength tests of 15CrNi6 steel following low-pressure carburizing and oil quenching, subjected to cycles of one-sided three-point bending. The fatigue fractures were compared with the results of fatigue strength studies of 16MnCr5 steel following low-pressure carburizing and nitrogen quenching. The fatigue tests for 16MnCr5 steel were conducted as part of a high-cycle resonance test, with a pendular bending load. The study also involved an analysis of the effects on non-metallic inclusions in the structure on the mechanism of fatigue destruction. The inclusions were found to initiate fatigue cracks. In both cases, a similar method of a fatigue fissure initiation was observed, independent of the study method or specimen material.

The small artificial surface defects in the coarse-grain steel are studied. The size of the used defects is smaller than the most relevant microstructural unit of steel, i.e. the average grain size. The samples of coarse-grain steel are prepared using a welding thermal-cycle simulator and a laboratory furnace. The defects are made by indenting with a Vickers pyramid. One of the final results of the defect making is the existence of local residual stresses. The influence of residual stresses on the crack initiation from those artificial defects is discussed in the article.

The functionality of a prosthesis is determined by clinical procedures, the manufacturing technology applied, the material used and its strength parameters. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the static strength and fatigue strength of acrylic construction materials directly after the process of polymerisation and for aged materials. It has been confirmed that the deformation speed of the tested materials has an evident impact on their mechanical characteristics. With greater deformation speed, a consistent increase in the material elasticity was observed in static compression tests, which was accompanied by a reduction in engineering stresses at the final stage of deformation. The greatest fatigue strength was observed for Vertex. It was by about 33% greater than the strength of Villacryl – the material that has the lowest fatigue properties. The resistance of acrylic polymers to cyclic loading applied with the frequency of 1 Hz may become an indication for the selection of the material to be used in the clinical procedures in which a patient is provided with full dentures.

Suspension line insulators are during their operation subject to static forces and variable loads, usually of a cyclic character. These variable loads have a significant impact on the mechanical durability of composite insulators. A method of providing durability forecast for composite line insulators based on fatigue characteristics has been proposed. The method allows providing durability forecast of insulators in a wide range of variable loadings, i.e. from quasi-static to high amplitude loadings.