A finite element thermomechanical analysis of the development of wheel polygonal wear

A finite element thermomechanical analysis of the development of wheel polygonal wear

He, C. (TU Delft Railway Engineering)
Yang, Z. (TU Delft Railway Engineering)
Zhang, P. (TU Delft Railway Engineering)
Li, S. (TU Delft Railway Engineering)
Naeimi, M. (TU Delft Railway Engineering)
Dollevoet, R.P.B.J. (TU Delft Railway Engineering)
Li, Z. (TU Delft Railway Engineering)

2024

Polygonal wear is a type of damage commonly observed on the railway wheel tread. It induces wheel-rail impacts and consequent train/track components failure. This study presents a finite element (FE) thermomechanical wheel-rail contact model, which is able to cope with the three possible generation and development mechanisms of polygonal wear: initial defects, thermal effect, and structural dynamics. The polygonal wear-induced impact contact and further development of wear are simulated. The simulated elastic contact solutions are verified against the program CONTACT. Different material properties (elastic, elasto-plastic and elasto-plastic-thermo, i.e. with thermal softening) and initial polygonal profiles are then applied to the FE model to investigate the influence of wheel/rail material and wear amplitude on wheel-rail contact stress and wear development. The simulations indicate that the wheel-rail impact-induced temperature may reach up to 362 ℃ at the contact interface, and the high temperature at the contact area influences wheel-rail contact stress and wear depth.

Finite element model
Polygonal wear
Thermal effect
Wheel-rail contact

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e68291f7-fbaf-42aa-a019-ff95d202ba4c

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2024.109577

0301-679X

Tribology International, 195

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2024 C. He, Z. Yang, P. Zhang, S. Li, M. Naeimi, R.P.B.J. Dollevoet, Z. Li