Tatiana-Ioanna Gialama and Konstantinos Liberis
International Journal of Railway, vol. 11, no. 1, pp.24-34, 2018

Abstract : Wheel-rail rolling contact mechanics is a complicated subject that has been extensively studied for more than 150 years. The geometry of the wheel-rail contact area constitutes one of the most significant factors that influence the rail vehicle’s dynamic behaviour, as well as the forces that appear at the wheel-rail contact interface. Therefore, the calculation of the shape of this surface is of fundamental importance and is necessary to determine all internal stresses and pressures, wear and friction, stability against derailment, etc. The writers of this study aim to propose a fast and easily applicable mathematical method for calculating the geometrical points of contact and the precise size and shape of the contact surface between the wheel and the rail for a range of lateral displacements of the wheelset with respect to the direction of motion. The method described is based on geometrical and numerical data for the S1002 wheel profile and the 60E1 (UIC60) rail profile. It assumes the penetration prescribed and leads to non-elliptical contact surfaces.

Keyword : Wheel-rail contact points, Contact geometry, Contact surface, Penetration