Study of stresses in hard rolled railcar wheels with a web of different geometry

Results obtained from extensometric and x-ray diffraction studies have shown that standard railcar wheels with a plane-conical web have a high concentration of stresses in the rim region under normal service loads. Fatigue cracks were found to be formed and grow within this region. Wheels with a curvilinear web have advantages over the standard wheels in terms of their stress state. On the average, the total stresses in them are 1.5 times smaller than in standard wheels. As a result, S-shaped wheels have greater fatigue strength and can withstand tests at loads above 100 ton-f without forming cracks. Based on the findings from laboratory and field tests, the new wheels have been certified and recommended for use on new-generation railcars with axial loads of 25 ton-f.