Author(s)

Zi-Li Li & Joost J. Kalker

Abstract

Wear is inherent to wheel-rail system. Severe wear is a problem for heavy haul railways. Based on experimental results, knowledge in vehicle-track system dynamics and advances in rolling contact mechanics, computer aided wheel-rail wear simulation is possible. It provides a fast and cheap means for prediction of wear life, optimal profile design and more realistic vehicle-track dynamical analysis. In this paper, a method for the simulation of severe wheel-rail wear by non-Hertz contact is presented, it is fast and robust. Combining it with vehicle dynamical simulation is desired. 1 Introduction Rail systems exploit friction to transmit power, therefore wear is inevitable.

Keywords