An investigation into the effect of train curving on wear and contact stresses of wheel and rail

Some important papers concerning the studies on rail wear and wheel/rail contact stresses are briefly reviewed. The present paper utilizes a numerical method to analyze the effect of railway vehicle curving on the wear and contact stresses of wheel/rail. The numerical method considers a combination of Kalker's non-Hertzian rolling contact theory, a material wear model and a vertical and lateral coupling dynamics model of the vehicle/track. In the analysis, the important factors influencing on the wear and the contact stresses are, respectively, the curving speed, the curved track super-elevation and the rail cant. Compared to the present model, some concerned models and results in the published papers are in detail discussed. Through the detailed numerical analysis, it is found that the difference between the normal loads of the left and right of the wheelset increases linearly with increasing the vehicle curving speed. The material wear volume per length along the rail running surface has a tendency to grow. However, the variation of the maximum normal contact stress has a large fluctuation as the curving speed increases. The increase of the maximum contact stress depends greatly on not only the normal load but also the profiles of the wheel/rail. Increasing the track super elevation efficiently lowers the normal load difference of the left and right of the front wheelset, and the contact stresses and the wear. The rail cant has a great influence on the low rail wear of the curve track. An increase in rail cant results in a great increase in the low rail wear of the curved track, and a decrease in the outside rail wear. These conclusions are very useful in the maintenance of the track.     

Effect of passenger car curving on rail corrugation at a curved track

The paper presents a corrugation calculation model, which considers Kalker's non-Hertzian rolling contact theory to be modified, a material wear model and a vertical and lateral coupling dynamics of a half passenger car and a curved track. The dynamics characters of the curved track model in frequency domain were investigated by the commercial finite element code ANSYS, and some results concerning rail corrugation are presented in this paper. During a passenger car passing a curved track the dynamical performance of the vehicle and track and the initiation and growth of the curved rail corrugation are analyzed with the present corrugation calculation model. In the numerical calculation, two track states are investigated. One is that the track does not have any congenital defect except for the discrete rail support by sleepers. The other is that the track has a lateral dent on the gauge corner of the high rail. The rail corrugations analyzed are attributed to the material wear mechanism. The numerical results obtained indicate that (1) a high passing frequency corrugation initiates on the smooth running surface of the curved rail during the first passing of the passenger car through the curved track without defects; (2) the initial corrugation develops quickly and its passing frequencies change with an increase of passenger car passage; (3) the interaction of the leading wheelset of the bogie and the curved rails causes more severe corrugation and wear on the rail running surface than that of the trailing wheelset of the same bogie; (4) discrete rail support by sleepers is the congenital defect leading to rail corrugation formation.     

EFFECT OF DISCRETE SUPPORTS OF RAIL ON INITIATION AND EVOLUTION OF RAIL CORRUGATION

The effect of discrete support of rail on the formation and evolution of rail corrugation is primarily investigated with numerical method in the situation of wheelset curving steadily and repeatedly. In the numerical analysis of corrugation it is considered that a combination of Kalker's rolling contact theory with non-Hertzian to be modified, a linear frictional work model and a vertical dynamics model of railway vehicle coupled with a curved track. And the uneven support stiffness of rail in the vertical direction due to discrete sleeper support and the different running speed of the wheelset are taken into consideration. The damage on the running surface of rail, concerning rail corrugation formation, is restricted to wear mechanism of rail material. The numerical results obtained indicate that the discrete supports of rail by sleepers have a great influence on the formation of the corrugation under the condition of non-zero and stable creepages of wheelset and track.     

Investigation of the influence of rail pad stiffness on rail corrugation on a transit system

This paper presents a study on the influence of rail pad stiffness on rail corrugation in an underground line. The paper includes a theoretical analysis justifying the rationale behind the modification of the pad stiffness to reduce corrugation levels, as well as a set of corrugation measurement results took on a test curve section during a period 19 months. The aim of the work is to demonstrate clearly that this treatment, studied by other authors like Ilias [H. Ilias, The influence of railpad stiffness on wheelset/track interaction and corrugation growth, J. Sound Vib. 227 (1999) 935-948], works on a metro system. In this study, the conventional rail pads on a test curve were substituted by softer pads. In order to examine the influence of new rail pads on corrugation, the rail profile was measured before and after the track modifications, during the same period of time. For both situations, wavelengths and amplitudes were analyzed and compared. It was found that soft pads reduce corrugation growth and eliminate one of the wavelengths developed when using stiff pads. The theoretical results were obtained from a model developed by Tassilly and Vincent [E. Tassilly, N. Vincent, Rail corrugations: analytical model and field tests, Wear 144 (1991), 153-161; E. Tassilly, N. Vincent, A linear model for corrugation of rails, J. Sound Vib. 150 (1991) 25-45]. This linear model for the corrugation of rails was used to predict the frequency bands in which corrugations are likely to appear. The track and the wheelset dynamics were studied both experimentally and theoretically. Quasi-static wheel/rail forces and creepages have been obtained with a multibody model of a metro unit. The methodology followed to compare the theoretical and experimental results is based on the work carried out by Grassie and Elkins [S.L. Grassie, J.A. Elkins, Rail corrugation on north american transit systems, Vehicle System Dyn. 28 (1998) 5-17]. The correlation between simulated and experimentally measured corrugation wavelengths appearing in the inner rails of curves is analyzed, and the corrugation mechanism is explained.     

A tribological characterization of the “damage mechanism” of low rail corrugation on sharp curved track

This paper focuses on the “damage mechanism” of short pitch corrugation on low rail on sharp curved track. This remains a major problem for European mass transit authorities. Several tribological and metallurgical investigations are performed on samples of corrugated low rail taken from a sharp curved track at site 1. A similar corrugated track from site 2 is instrumented to observe the vertical and transversal forces and the displacements of the rail. A parallel is then drawn between the measurements and real corrugation geometry. As both sites are affected by corrugation with the same morphological characteristics, a parallel is also drawn between tribological and metallurgical investigations and on-site measurements. The results highlight the existence of a rapid inversion in the lateral displacement of the railhead. This inversion only occurs with the leading wheelset and is localized at the beginning of the trough, where lateral third body flow fronts and lateral particle detachments on the rail surface are observed. The results of these investigations into the “damage mechanism” of corrugation on low rail at sharp curved track are discussed.     

地铁线路上一种钢轨波磨现象的成因分析

针对地铁线路直缓点附近区间上的一种特殊钢轨波磨现象,根据现场条件建立车辆-轨道系统数值模型,并对模型的有效性进行了验证;运用数值模型分析上述线路区间的轮轨界面黏滑特性,解释了该类钢轨波磨的形成原因;结合轮轨系统动力响应特性,分析促使钢轨波磨生成和发展的波长固定属性的成立条件。结果表明：在线路直缓点附近区间,导向轮对和从动轮对内外侧轮轨界面均会发生横向黏滑运动,而轮轨界面发生纵向黏滑运动的概率较低,且黏滑运动的交替发生,导致了钢轨表面初始波磨的形成;当导向轮对和从动轮对内外侧车轮经过线路直缓点时,外侧轮轨接触表现为轮缘-轨距角接触,且接触形式的改变造成了轮轨系统法向力的波动,说明直缓点的存在赋予了轮轨横向黏滑运动的相位同步特征,能够保持钢轨波磨的波长固定属性,因此,钢轨波磨最终形成并不断发展,而且内轨表现为轨面波磨,外轨表现为侧面波磨,这与实测区间波磨现象一致。     

轮轴弯曲刚度对轮轨垂向动态载荷影响分析

以国内某型地铁车辆为例,研究轮轴弯曲刚度对轮轨垂向动态载荷和轮对垂向振动的影响。在常规多刚体动力学模型的基础上,结合BM3000轮对和北京地铁轮对两种不同的弹性轮对模型,对比分别采用刚性轮对模型和弹性轮对模型时的轮对垂向振动加速度和轮轨垂向力。结果表明,对BM3000弹性轮对模型来说,由于其弯曲刚度相对较小,随着运行速度的增大,轮对垂向振动加速度和轮轨力与刚性轮对的差距不断加大,而对于轮轴弯曲刚度较大的北京地铁轮对来说,其弹性轮对模型和刚性轮对模型的结果比较接近,在计算的速度下轮对的振动峰值及频率均有明显的降低。因而,通过加大轮轴弯曲刚度可明显改善轮对的垂向振动和轮轨垂向力,实现改善轮轨动态接触状态的目的。     

轮轨配合对重载货车轮轨磨耗的影响*

在中国既有线路的参数设置下,建立标准LM车轮与R60轨和R75轨配合时的轮轨接触和磨耗模型,对比研究不同轮轨配合时的磨耗性能。计算表明R75轨轮轨接触点集中分布在轨侧、轨头和轨顶三个区域,接触线不连续。在当轮对横移小于3 mm时,两种钢轨滚动圆半径差和接触角差基本一致,轮对横移大于3 mm时,R75轨的滚动圆半径差和接触角差稍小。R75轨与LM车轮配合时,在车轮踏面和轮缘、钢轨轨顶和轨角两段圆弧的过渡段的接触斑面积和应力变化剧烈。车辆在直线上运行时,R75轨的轮轨磨耗将增大数倍,动态通过800 m半径曲线时,外轨磨耗增大约45%。轮轨配合的理论分析表明R75轨不适应我国重载运输,采用提高强度的R60轨更符合我国重载铁路的实际情况。     

单侧钢轨波磨对两侧轮轨瞬态响应的影响分析

基于我国某地铁钢轨波磨的调研,采用显式有限元法建立了考虑车轮、车轴和钢轨连续体振动以及车辆、轨道高频结构振动的全轮对三维瞬态轮轨滚动接触模型,在时域内数值再现了轮对通过单侧钢轨波磨轨道段时的滚动接触行为,系统分析了单侧钢轨波磨对两侧轮轨瞬态响应的影响。相比于作者之前开发的半轮对滚动接触模型,该模型可将轮轨横向蠕滑和大自旋考虑在内。结果表明：地铁运行速度越高,波磨侧的不均匀磨损现象越严重;计算的五个速度中,波磨造成的瞬态激励在30和120 km/h时更易传递至无波磨侧,进而促进无波磨侧钢轨萌生波磨;轮对越是向波磨侧横移,波磨侧不均匀磨损越严重,但无波磨侧不均匀磨损逐渐降低,即相较于直线段,横移更大的曲线段上的外侧钢轨波磨更不易引发另一侧钢轨的波磨。     

Investigation into the vibration of metro bogies induced by rail corrugation

The current research of rail corrugation mainly focuses on the mechanisms of its formation and development. Compared with the root causes and development mechanisms, the wheel–rail impacts, the fatigue failure of vehicle-track parts, and the loss of ride comfort due to rail corrugation should also be taken into account. However, the influences of rail corrugation on vehicle and track vibration, and failure of vehicle and track structural parts are barely discussed in the literature. This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation of the structural vibration of metro bogies caused by rail corrugation. Extensive experiments are conducted to investigate the effects of short-pitch rail corrugation on the vibration accelerations of metro bogies. A dynamic model of a metro vehicle coupled with a concrete track is established to study the influence of rail corrugation on the structural vibration of metro bogies. The field test results indicate that the short-pitch rail corrugation generates strong vibrations on the axle-boxes and the bogie frames, therefore, accelerates the fatigue failure of the bogie components. The numerical results show that short-pitch rail corrugation may largely reduce the fatigue life of the coil spring, and improving the damping value of the primary vertical dampers is likely to reduce the strong vibration induced by short-pitch rail corrugation. This research systematically studies the effect of rail corrugation on the vibration of metro bogies and proposes some remedies for mitigating strong vibrations of metro bogies and reducing the incidence of failure in primary coil springs, which would be helpful in developing new metro bogies and track maintenance procedures.