Thermomechanical finite element modelling of wheel-rail contact and experimental validation

IF 6.1 1区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, MECHANICAL

Tribology International Pub Date : 2025-03-22 DOI:10.1016/j.triboint.2025.110666

Chunyan He, Zhen Yang, Pan Zhang, Rolf Dollevoet, Zili Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Frictional heat is generated at the wheel-rail interface during train operations, particularly under high slip ratios during acceleration and braking. Thermal effects can accelerate wear, induce plastic deformation, and contribute to thermal fatigue. Reliable modelling of wheel-rail contact that considers friction-induced thermal effects is desirable for the accurate prediction of wheel-rail interface deterioration. Several analytical and numerical models have been proposed to simulate thermal or thermomechanical wheel-rail loads but have rarely been validated, especially in high slip ratio scenarios where flash temperatures exceed 200 °C. This study develops and experimentally validates a three-dimensional thermomechanical finite element (FE) wheel-rail contact model for high slip ratio conditions, with contact temperatures reaching 360 °C. The model incorporates key mechanical parameters, including wheel loads, coefficients of friction, and slip ratios. Simulated rail surface temperatures across various slip ratios (5 %, 10 %, and 15 %) are compared with the flash temperatures measured with an onboard infrared thermal camera, showing good agreement with a maximum deviation of 9.9 %. This confirms the reliability of the model for simulating wheel-rail contact under thermal effects.

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来源期刊

Tribology International 工程技术-工程：机械

CiteScore

10.10

自引率

16.10%

发文量

627

审稿时长

35 days

期刊介绍： Tribology is the science of rubbing surfaces and contributes to every facet of our everyday life, from live cell friction to engine lubrication and seismology. As such tribology is truly multidisciplinary and this extraordinary breadth of scientific interest is reflected in the scope of Tribology International. Tribology International seeks to publish original research papers of the highest scientific quality to provide an archival resource for scientists from all backgrounds. Written contributions are invited reporting experimental and modelling studies both in established areas of tribology and emerging fields. Scientific topics include the physics or chemistry of tribo-surfaces, bio-tribology, surface engineering and materials, contact mechanics, nano-tribology, lubricants and hydrodynamic lubrication.