An innovative model for the prediction of wheel - Rail wear and rolling contact fatigue

The objective of this paper is to ascertain the wheel–rail low adhesion mechanism using a high-speed wheel–rail rolling contact test rig under different interfacial contaminations. Based on the experimental results, a numerical method was proposed to investigate the wheel–rail wear and rolling contact fatigue due to low adhesion issues. The experimental results indicated that the wheel–rail low adhesion phenomena can happen under interfacial liquid contaminations, especially at high-speed running condition. Preliminary numerical investigations showed that the low adhesion condition can easily lead to sliding hence serious wear, especially at the speed between 160 km/h and 200 km/h. The temperature rise within the contact patch can be significantly more severe once wheel and rail are in full slip, causing rolling contact fatigue due to material softening.

Download Full-text

Rolling Contact Fatigue and Wear Behavior of Rail Steel under Dry Rolling-Sliding Contact Condition

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.891-892.1545 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 891-892 ◽

pp. 1545-1550

Author(s):

Jung Won Seo ◽

Hyun Kyu Jun ◽

Seok Jin Kwon ◽

Dong Hyeong Lee

Keyword(s):

Crack Growth ◽

Rail Steel ◽

Wear Behavior ◽

Rolling Contact Fatigue ◽

Contact Fatigue ◽

Rolling Contact ◽

Sliding Contact ◽

Maintenance Cost ◽

Rail Wear ◽

Railway System

Rolling contact fatigue and wear of rails are inevitable problems for railway system due to wheel and rail contact. Increased rail wear and increased fatigue damage such as shelling, head check, etc. require more frequent rail exchanges and more maintenance cost. The fatigue crack growth and wear forming on the contact surface are affected by a variety of parameters, such as vertical and traction load, friction coefficient on the surface. Also, wear and crack growth are not independent, but interact on each other. Surface cracks are removed by wear, which can be beneficial for rail, however too much wear shortens the life of rail. Therfore, it is important to understand contact fatigue and wear mechanism in rail steels according to a variety of parameters. In this study, we have investigated fatigue and wear characteriscs of rail steel using twin disc testing. Also the comparative wear behavior of KS60 and UIC 60 rail steel under dry rolling-sliding contact was performed.

Download Full-text

Friction management on a Chinese heavy haul coal line

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part F Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit ◽

10.1177/0954409712447170 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 226 (6) ◽

pp. 630-640 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Xin Lu ◽

Tony W Makowsky ◽

Donald T Eadie ◽

Kevin Oldknow ◽

Jilian Xue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

State Of The Art ◽

Rolling Contact Fatigue ◽

Contact Fatigue ◽

Rolling Contact ◽

Friction Modifier ◽

Rail Wear ◽

Lateral Forces ◽

Heavy Haul ◽

The Impact ◽

Total Network

Shuohuang Railway (SHR) is one of the major coal carriers in China, with a total network length of 590 km running from Shenchi to Huanghua. Significant increases in annual operating tonnage have generated accelerated rail wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) growth problems for many sharper/lower radius curves. In order to address these rail problems, SHR is interested in the state-of-the-art total friction management (TFM) technology currently deployed by some North American heavy haul freight railroads and is evaluating the impact of TFM via a field trial at SHR’s Yuanping subdivision. This paper presents an evaluation of the effect of TFM, which includes both wayside gauge face lubrication and wayside application of a thin film top of rail friction modifier on control of lateral forces, rail wear and RCF.

Download Full-text

A Review on Wear Between Railway Wheels and Rails Under Environmental Conditions

Journal of Tribology ◽

10.1115/1.4044464 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 141 (12) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Yi Zhu ◽

Wenjian Wang ◽

Roger Lewis ◽

Wenyi Yan ◽

Stephen R. Lewis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Conditions ◽

Main Part ◽

Rolling Contact Fatigue ◽

Contact Fatigue ◽

Rolling Contact ◽

Experimental Methodology ◽

Special Focus ◽

Degradation Mechanisms ◽

Rail Wear ◽

Railway Wheels

Abstract The wheel-rail contact is an open system contact, which is subjected to various environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, water, and even leaves. All these environmental factors influence wheel-rail wear. Classical wheel-rail wear has been extensively studied under dry and clean conditions previously. However, with changes in environmental conditions, the wear rate and wear mechanism can change. This paper reviews recent contributions to wheel-rail wear with a special focus on the influence of environmental conditions. The main part includes the basics of wheel-rail wear, experimental methodology, wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF), and some measures to counter these degradation mechanisms.

Download Full-text

Predicted Wheel Wear and RCF Performance Using VAMPIRE Automation Routines

2009 Joint Rail Conference ◽

10.1115/jrc2009-63058 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

Philip J. Rogers ◽

Matthew G. Dick

Keyword(s):

Rolling Contact Fatigue ◽

Contact Fatigue ◽

National Research Council ◽

Research Process ◽

Rolling Contact ◽

Wheel Wear ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Rail Wear ◽

Invaluable Tool ◽

Wheel Profile

Predicted wheel performance is an invaluable tool in developing new components such as wheel profiles and truck components and also in understanding and controlling wheel and rail wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF). This paper outlines a vehicle dynamics trial using VAMPIRE Pro to compare the predicted wear and RCF performance of the WRISA2 wheel profile developed by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the United Kingdom P8 wheel profile using measured wheel profiles from an in-service trial. WRISA2 and P8 profiles were fitted to two passenger trains running in normal service. Wheel profiles were measured every 10,000 miles. These measured profiles were used to predict wear and RCF damage for each wheel of the investigated rail vehicle, using a combination of VAMPIRE transient analysis and another program called the “Whole Life Rail Model” (WLRM). This process was repeated up to 190,000 miles run in service, allowing a clear comparison of the changing rail wear and RCF performance of the two profiles up to this mileage. This process was automated using new features within VAMPIRE that allow communication to 3rd party computer programs including the WLRM, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Visual Basic. This research process presents itself to be a very useful tool in predicting wheel wear performance for any number of new wheel and truck components.

Download Full-text

Gearless Track-Friendly Metro with Guided Independently Rotating Wheels

Urban Rail Transit ◽

10.1007/s40864-021-00159-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gianluca Megna ◽

Andrea Bracciali

Keyword(s):

Multibody Dynamics ◽

Control Strategy ◽

Rolling Contact Fatigue ◽

Contact Fatigue ◽

Rolling Contact ◽

Dynamics Simulation ◽

Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors ◽

Synchronous Motors ◽

Rail Wear ◽

Curve Radius

AbstractTrack–vehicle severe interaction on track with small curve radius results in rail wear and corrugation, and wheel polygonization, which drain considerable resources for rail grinding and wheels re-profiling in metro lines. To reduce the damage caused by track-vehicle severe interaction, the paper analyzes the reasons leading to rail wear and then proposes an architecture of a metro vehicle with independently rotating wheels driven directly by permanent magnet synchronous motors. The architecture is axle guidance, offered by passive linkages, which ensures that all axles are oriented radially, while control strategy was kept as simple as possible, identifying only two basic traction conditions. The concept is first discussed and then validated through a comprehensive set of running dynamics simulation performed with a multibody software to evaluate rail wear and rolling contact fatigue in traction/braking, coasting with different cant deficiency/excess conditions. The multibody dynamics simulation shows that the proposed architecture is virtually capable of avoiding both wear and rolling contact fatigue damages, and achieves the highest possible track friendliness. The concept of the proposed architecture is a track-fiendly metro architecture and could be a good reference for reducing rail-track interaction damages and maintainace cost.

Download Full-text