Analysis on Wheel-Rail Contact Parameters of Elastic Wheelset

Abstract:

Structural flexibility of wheelset due to bending vibration was taken into account. A simplified model of elastic wheelset was established with the axle considered as a Timoshenko beam, and the inclined angular displacement of wheel was derived from solving its equations of motion in the steady-state harmonic force via Green's function. According to the geometric constraint relationship of wheel-rail contact, the constrained equations of elastic wheelset-rail contact geometry were analytically derived. The geometric parameters of wheel-rail contact were calculated by solving those equations. Comparisons on wheel-rail contact parameters between elastic wheelset and rigid wheelset were carried out, and discussions about the influence of wheelset’s bending deformation on wheel-rail contact locations and contact parameters were performed, respectively. Results show that when the wheelset lateral displacement exceeds 5mm, the wheel-rail contact parameters change significantly due to wheelset structural flexibility; the simplified model is beneficial to wheel-rail contact calculation issues for elastic wheelset.