EVOLUTION OF SAIL RAILS
1
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) is one of the largest steel-making
companies in India and one of the Maharatnas of the country’s Central Public
Sector Enterprises.
INTEGRATED STEEL PLANTS
PLANT LOCATION PRODUCTS
BHILAI STEEL PLANT CHHATTISGARH Rails, Blooms, Billets, Slabs, Channels, Joists, Angles, TMT Rebars,
Wire Rods, Crane Rails, Plates, Pig Iron & Coal Chemicals
DURGAPUR STEEL WEST BENGAL Blooms, Billets, Joists, Narrow Slabs, Channels, Angles, TMT
PLANT Rebars, Wheels & Axles, Pig Iron & Coal Chemicals
ROURKELA STEEL ODISHA Plate Mill Plates, HR Plates, HR Coils, Slabs, CR Sheet/Coil,
PLANT Galvanised Sheets (plain & corrugated) , ERW Pipes, Spiral Weld
pipes, CRNO, Pig Iron & Coal Chemicals
BOKARO STEEL JHARKHAND HR Coils, Slabs, HR Sheets, Plates, CR Coils, Sheets, GP Sheets,
PLANT Coils, GC Sheets, Galvanealed Steel, HRPO, Pig Iron & Coal
Chemicals
IISCO STEEL PLANT WEST BENGAL Wire rods, Bars & Rebars, Joists, Channels, Angles, Blooms, Billets,
Universal & Special section (Z bar, MS Arch), Pig Iron & Coal
Chemicals
SAIL Product Basket
Rail Making In Bhilai Steel Plant
Rail & Structural Mill
• Set up in 1960.
Universal Rail Mill.
• Production commenced in December’2016.
Rail Products in Bhilai Steel Plant
• PRODUCT MIX
• Profiles
• R 52 Kg Rails , 60E1 Rails
• Thick Web Asymmetrical Rails ( 60E1A1 )
• Crane Rails KP 80,100,120
• Steel Crossing Sleepers
• Rail Lengths Produced :
• 13 Meter, 26 Meter, 130 Meter
• 260 Meter Long welded Panels
• Grade
• Plain carbon, Micro alloyed
• Head hardened /Heat treated Rail
Rail Manufacturing in Bhilai
( Rail & Structural Mill )
• Commencement of Production : October ‘1960
• 26M Rail Production started on IR Requirement : 2000-2001
• Long Rail Complex commissioned : Year 2004
• Rated Capacity of Rail Mill : 7,50,000 Tons
• Capacity of Long Rail Complex at RSM : 1,50,000 Tons
Initially The Rail Mill was designed for Rolling and finishing
only 13M Rails
The Mill was modified and additional facilities added as
per Indian Railway’s requirement
Rail Manufacturing in Bhilai
(Universal Rail Mill )
• Largest Rail Mill in the World
• Commencement of Production : Dec‘2016
• Production Capacity ( Prime Rails) : 1.08 MTPA
• Walking Beam Reheating furnace
• Two break down stands and One Tandem mill with 3 stands
• Pre-cambering facilities
• Bi planer Rail Straightening Machine
• NDT Complex (UT , PMG, FMG, ECT)
• Rail and Rail weld inspection facilities
• Welding Complex with two welding machines .
PRODUCTION FLOW CHART OF URM
CP8 RWL
CP7
CP6 Long rail
VISUAL ROOM 2
NDT 2
INSPECTION
VISUAL CP9
ROOM 1
NDT 1
INSPECTION CP10
Short rail
RAIL
STRAIGHTNING
CP5. M/ /
1
C
COOLING BED
CP
5
BD1-7 PASSES
Hot
BD2- 5 PASSES
Sa
TENDEM-3 PASSES
WALKING BEAM FURNACE w
Evolution of Indian Railway Rail Specification
: IRS T -12
•FIRST ISSUED : IRS T12/36 FIRST ISSUE IRS T12/36 IN
1936
in the year 1936 FURTHER REVISIONS
•REVISIONS IRS T12/39
•IRS T12/39 • IRS T12/60 IRS T12/50
IRS T12/53
•IRS T12/50 • IRS T12/64 IRS T12/55
•IRS T12/53 • IRS T12/88 IRS T12/60
IRS T12/64
•IRS T12/55 • IRS T12/96 IRS T12/88
IRS T12/96
•IRS T12/2009 IRS T 12 /
2009
Quality Assurance
1. Long association with Indian Railways for continual improvement,
future needs based on mutual understanding and trust.
2. Long, experience of steel making and Rail rolling with continual in
house R&D support.
3. Strict compliance of Established Quality Assurance Plan.
4. Comprehensive testing facilities.
5. 100% Inspection by Indian Railway appointed Inspecting Agency
6. Transparency in the system with involvement of Indian Railways
and RDSO
Mandatory Tests for Rails
as per IRS-T 12/09
Acceptance Tests heatwise
Non-Destructive tests on each rail • Chemical analysis
• Tensile test
•Ultrasonic Testing
• Sulphur print
•Dimensional Checks • Hardness test
•Surface Inspection : All Four Sides • Falling weight test
• Inclusion Rating Test
•End Straightness : Both Planes Both Ends
• Decarburisation
•Body Straightness : Throughout The Length
•End Squareness : Both Faces Both Planes
Qualifying Criteria Tests
Residual Stress
Fracture Toughness
Fatigue
Fatigue Crack Growth Rate
Mandatory Tests for Weld Joints as per
Indian Railway Flash Butt Welding Manual
Destructive Testing: On Each Joint:
– ULTRASONIC TESTING
Transverse Load Test :1 Test per 1000 joints
Hardness :1 Test per 1000 joints – DIMENSIONAL CHECKS
Macro (HAZ) :1 Test per 5000 joints – SURFACE INSPECTION : ALL FOUR
Micro :1 Test per 5000 joints SIDES
– JOINT STRAIGHTNESS : BOTH PLANES
*EN 14587 for flash butt welding specifies
only transverse load test once in a month
*Apart from the above, drilled holes on both ends
of each welded panel are checked for dimensions,
position & chamfering.
Comparison of Heat Affected Zone for
FBW Joints
RAIL GRADE MIN-MAX MAX DIFFERENCE REMARKS
WIDTH OF HAZ IN WIDTH
IRS T12-2009 20-40 5mm --
EN 14587-2018 25-45 20mm --
AREMA NA NA The bond line shall be
perpendicular to the rail rolling
direction.
The bond line should not display
any areas of excessive acid attack.
AUSTRALIAN NA NA Weld HAZ & bond line should be
perpendicular to rail foot ±5°
HAZ at the head, Centre of Web
and foot shall be 25-50 mm.
IRS T-12/2009 R260 Grade
vis-a-vis
EN 13674 R260 Grade
Parameters IRS T12-2009 R260 EN 13674 R260
Any Heats with total oxygen
lf oxygen content is
content above 20 ppm shall
Measurement of more than 20ppm, all
require that all subsequent
Oxygen Heats of the Sequence
Heats be tested until values
shall be checked.
below 20 ppm are achieved.
Yield Strength 550MPA (min) Not Specified
880MPA (min)
UTS Actual achieved average 880MPA (min)
1023MPA
Falling Weight Test Specified Not Specified
Hydrogen in Liquid Steel vis –a- vis
International standards
• UIC Specification < 3.00 ppm
• EURO Norms (Rev) < 2.50 ppm
• Australian Specifications < 2.50 ppm
• Japanese Specifications (JIS) Not Specified
• IRS T-12/96 SPECS. < 3.00 ppm
• IRS T-12/09 SPECS < 1.6 ppm
Rail Supply to Indian Railways
SUPPLY (Gr 880/R260)
FIN YEAR
LONG RAIL SHORT RAIL
TOTAL
(260 M welded Panel) (13M /26 M)
2017-18 8,73,784 3,15,561 36.11% 5,58,223
2018-19 9,44,257 4,42,239 46.83% 5,02,018
2019-20 12,35,075 6,32,643 51.22% 6,02,432
2020-21 10,87,800 7,35,103 67.57% 3,52,697
2021-22 9,78,541 6,95,513 71.08% 2,83,028
2022-23 11,69,231 9,38,496 80.26% 2,30,735
2023-24 11,49,864 10,15,341 88.30% 98,523
Rails Supplied (cumulative) to Indian Railways
(Up to January 2023)
•Total Rails Supplied to Indian Railways
20.8 Million Tonnes
Length of Rails Produced by BSP
615044 Kms
•Rail Supplied can Encircle the Earth
15.38 Times
Rail Exports
03-05-2025 19
STANDARD CHEMICAL & MECHANICAL
PROPERTIES
Chemical Composition (percentage) Product
Mechanical Properties
Elongation % on gauge
length – 5.65√So (min)
10-4% ( ppm) max by
UTS (MPa) (Min)
Hydrogen content in
Running surface
hardness (BHN)
*Yield Strength
liquid steel (max.)
(MPa)(min.)
Cr ( max)
Al (max)
N (max.)
S (max)
P (max)
GRADE
V (max)
mass O
Mn
Si
C
0.60 0.80 0.10
1.6
Gr. 880 to to to 0.030 0.030 0.015 0.010 0.010 20 880 460 10.0 260min
0.30 ppm
0.80 1.30 0.50
0.60 0.13
0.65 1.6
R260 to to 0.030 0.025 0.004 0.030 0.010 20 880 550 10 260-300
to1.25 0.15 ppm
0.82 0.60
Production of Special grade
and profile Rails
• R260/60E1 Rails : High Strength Grade substituting the conventional
Grade 880 Rails as per requirement of Indian Railways.
(Cumulative supply till 31.01.23 : 18,47,234 Tons)
• End forged Thick Web Rails: For High Speed Turn outs
Cumulative dispatch: 1814 Tons
Rail Steel Grades Developed
GRADES
• NCC Corrosion Resistant Rails developed jointly by RDSO, IIT
Kanpur and SAIL in 2006 : 10593 tons supplied in 13 M Length.
• Cu-Mo Corrosion Resistant Rails developed in 2002-03: 2013 tons
supplied
• Nb High Strength Rails developed in 2002-03: 651 tons supplied
• V High Strength-High Wear Resistant Rails developed in 2007-08:
455 tons supplied
Rail Steel Grades Developed
GRADES
• 1080 Cr Rails for High Strength & High Axle Load developed in
2012
• HTCR Rails - Developed in association with RDSO.
• Heat treated Rails : 1175 HT Grade developed.
- Manufacturing capability approved.
- FB Welding development trials in progress.
New Rail Testing Facilities added @ BSP
•FMG testing at RSM
•HSDDS: Hot surface defect detection system
•CSDDS: Cold surface defect detection system
•PAUT testing
03-05-2025 24
25
Structural Mills of SAIL
New Generation Mills
Medium Structural Mill, Durgapur: 1.0 MT
Angle 90mm to 200mm
Channel 100mm to 200mm
ISMB 150mm to 300mm
NPB 200mm to 250mm
WPB 150mm to 160mm
Universal Section Mill, Burnpur: 0.85 MT
Angle 150mm to 200mm
Channel 250mm to 300mm
NPB 300mm to 750mm
WPB 200mm to 450mm
Structural Mills of SAIL
Conventional Mills
Section Mill, Durgapur: 0.12 MT
Channel 150mm , 200mm
ISMB 200mm
Merchant Mill , Bhilai : 0.20 MT
Angle 50mm to 90mm
Channel 75mm to 100mm
Wet Leasing / Conversion : 0.20 MT
Angle 35mm to 200mm
Channel 75mm to 400mm
ISMB 116,150mm to 600mm
ISHB 150/152/200
Flats 50mm to 200mm
Structurals: Conventional Sections
Indian Standard Equal Angles
Section Weight (Kg/m)
Weight
Angle 50x50x5/6 3.79 / 4.49
Section (Kg/m)
Angle 60x60x5/6/8 4.50 / 5.40/ 7.00
Indian Standard Medium Beams
Angle 65x65x5/6/8/10 4.98 / 5.91 / 7.73 / 9.49
(ISMB)
Angle 70x70x5/6 5.30 / 6.30
MB 100 X50 8.95
Angle 75x75x5/6/8/10 5.77 / 6.86 / 9.00 / 11.07
MB 150 X 75 14.96
Angle 80x80x6/8/10 7.36 / 9.65 / 11.88 / 14.05
MB 200 X 100 24.17
Angle 90x90x6/8/10/12 8.32 / 10.92 / 13.47 / 15.95
MB 250 X 125 37.3
Angle 9.26 / 12.18 / 15.04 / 17.83
MB 300 X 140 46.02
100x100x6/8/10/12
Indian Standard Medium Channel
Angle 150x150x10/12 22.93 / 27.29
(ISMC)
Angle 36.85 / 48.53 / 54.3 / 59.96 /
MC 75 x 40 7.14
200x200x 73.90
MC 100 X 50 9.56
12/16/18
MC 125 X 65 13.1
/20/25
MC 150 X 75 16.8
MC 200 X 75 22.3 Angle 45- 150mm
MC 250 X 82 34.2 MC 75x40 mm to MC 400x100 mm
MC 300 X 90 36.3 MB 100 mm to MB 600 mm
H Beams: 150 mm, 152 mm & 200 mm
Rail 15 kg; 30 kg
Flats: 50x6 to 150x12mm
PARALLEL FLANGE SECTIONS
Product Range: Parallel Flange Sections: IS 808: 2021
Narrow Parallel Flange Beams Grades :
▪ IS 2062 E250 BR, E250BO
Section Weight (Kg/m)
NPB 100 X 55 8.1
NPB 200 X 100 22.36 / 25.09 ▪ IS 2062 E300 BR, E300BO
NPB 250 X 125 30.11
NPB 300 X 150 36.53 / 42.24 / 49.32 ▪ IS 2062 E350 BR, E350BO
NPB 400 X 180 57.38 / 66.31 / 75.67 / 84.00
NPB 450 X 190 67.16 / 77.58 / 92.37 / 95.20 ▪ IS 2062 E410 BR, BO, C
NPB 500 X 200 79.36 / 90.69 / 107.32
NPB 600 X 220 107.57 / 122.45 / 154.47 / 184.00 ▪ IS 2062 E450 BR, BO, C
NPB 750 X 270 173.00 / 174.54 / 185.00 / 196.00 / 202.49
▪ Grades with Cupper alloying
Wide Parallel Flange Beams
Section Weight (Kg/m) ▪ FIRE RESISTANT
WPB 160 X 160 22.75 / 30.44 / 42.59 / 76.19
WPB 200 X 200 37.34 ▪ WEATHER RESISTANT STEEL
WPB 200 X 200 34.65 / 42.26 / 61.30
WPB 240 X 240 47.40 / 60.32 / 83.20 / 156.68 Any other grades based on mutual
WPB 300 X 300 100.85 agreement.
WPB 300 X 300 117.03 / 237.92
Thank You
Bhilai Steel Plant
