A survey of wheel–rail contact models for rail vehicles

ABSTRACT

Accurate and efficient contact models for wheel–rail interaction are essential for the study of the dynamic behaviour of a railway vehicle. Assessment of the contact forces and moments, as well as contact geometry provide a fundamental foundation for such tasks as design of braking and traction control systems, prediction of wheel and rail wear, and evaluation of ride safety and comfort. This paper discusses the evolution and the current state of the theories for solving the wheel–rail contact problem for rolling stock. The well-known theories for modelling both normal contact (Hertzian and non-Hertzian) and tangential contact (Kalker's linear theory, FASTSIM, CONTACT, Polach's theory, etc.) are reviewed. The paper discusses the simplifying assumptions for developing these models and compares their functionality. The experimental studies for evaluation of contact models are also reviewed. This paper concludes with discussing open areas in contact mechanics that require further research for developing better models to represent the wheel–rail interaction.

KEYWORDS:

• Contact mechanics
• wheel-rail interaction
• creep force model
• tribology
• rolling friction
• traction

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Federal Railroad Administration for the financial support of this project, under the guidance of Mr Ali Tajaddini, Mr Gary Carr, and Dr John Tunna. The authors also thank Mr Sabri Cakdi, Dr Xinggao Shu, and Mr Nicholas Wilson (Transportation Technology Center, Inc.) for their constructive feedback, as well as Dr Edwin Vollebregt (TU Delft) for a valuable discussion of Kalker's theories.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.