ANALYSIS OF CONTACT STRESSES FOR RAILWHEEL INTERFACE

Abstract

The central idea of all the research of locomotive and track interaction is dependent on Wheel and Rail contact. The contact zone produced by interaction of rail and the wheel is the reason for all the power and load transmission. The contact patch developed is also subjected to high stress intensity and hence prone to failure. Therefore there is a need to study this contact patch, so as to have better knowledge of rail-wheel dynamics. Finite Element Analysis Software package presents a fairly reliable way to model and evaluated the real life conditions of the contact problems. But meticulous study of contact is very time consuming task and often requires high performance computing. With suitable assumptions, a tradeoff between computing time and accuracy can be achieved. Conventionally, Hertz contact model is used to calculate contact pressure analytically. Though, some of Author‟s assumptions are breached in actual practice. Nevertheless, his formula is relatively easier to verify the results based on the major and minor axes of the ellipse. In the current thesis, with the supplement of literature review, various contact parameters (including contact pressure, frictional stress and penetration) and structural results are produced by usage of FEA solver. Later comparison of the work has been done analytically using the Hertzian contact model. With preserving good computational effectiveness and fair amount of accuracy all the above said parameters were studied. The expertise achieved from this work illuminates the future research direction in the arena to contact of rail-wheel interface.