Influence of the wheel diameter difference on the wheel/rail dynamic contact relationship of the heavy haul locomotive

Abstract

Railway vehicles will inevitably appear wheel diameter difference, which will result in an unsymmetrical contact of wheel and rail. Take the guide wheelset for example, analysed the influence of the wheel diameter difference on the wheelset loading state and movement patterns in detail. Based on it, the train model which make up of 2(B₀–B₀) axle type locomotives + C₈₀ wagon were set up. The effect of wheel diameter difference on the dynamic wheel/rail contact relation under coasting condition as well as dynamic braking condition were analyzed. Simulation results show that the wheel diameter difference will  change the wheel/rail dynamic contact relation and aggravate the wear of wheel/rail profile. The influence of wheel diameter difference in anti phase on the wheel/rail lateral force is bigger than that in same phase. Compare with coasting condition, the wheel/rail lateral force of smaller wheel will increase and the wheel/rail lateral force of bigger wheel will decrease under dynamic braking condition, the wheelset lateral force under dynamic braking condition is relatively smaller than coasting condition. Wheel diameter difference will cause the partial wear of wheelset under dynamic braking condition, and this will increase the wheel diameter difference further.

Keywords:

• Locomotive
• dynamics
• wheel diameter difference
• wheel/rail relation
• dynamic braking

Acknowledgements

We thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 51575458) for their aid and support.