Analysis on the features and potential causes of wheel surface damage for heavy-haul locomotives. (January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lyu, Kaikai; Wang, Kaiyun; Liu, Pengfei; Sun, Yu; Shi, Zhiyong; Ling, Liang; Zhai, Wanming
• Is Part Of: Engineering failure analysis. Volume 109(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-01
• Subjects: Wheel surface damage -- Heavy-haul locomotive -- Bogie type -- Braking force -- Small curve; System failures (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Fracture mechanics -- Periodicals; Reliability (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Pannes -- Périodiques; Rupture, Mécanique de la -- Périodiques; Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Fracture mechanics; Reliability (Engineering); System failures (Engineering); Periodicals; Electronic journals; 620.112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2019.104292
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-6307

Abstract

Highlights: Three types of cracks are commonly observed on wheel, only the cracks concentrated on 80mm from flange back propagate into depth. In small curves, for locomotives with B0-B0 bogies, the predicted crack is concentrated on wheel centre, which have more chance to wear off. While for locomotives with C0-C0 bogies, the predicted crack is concentrated on 80mm, which are easy to propagate. With the increase of curve radius, the crack damage decreased significantly, and the crack position moves to wheels centre correspondingly. Abstract: With an aim of identifying the main causes of wheel surface damage occurred in heavy-haul locomotives, this paper presents the investigation on this intractable problem including field observed, site survey, and numerical simulation. The authors set out with a detailed description of the damage features and its propagation. By globally comparing the wheel states of four different types of locomotives and their running routes, the main causes of the surface damage are analysed, and further supplemented by the results of multi-body simulations and damage predictions. The influence of sand, liquid and braking modes on surface damage is also analysed. The results show that of all the three types of cracks commonly observed on wheels, only the cracks located between 65 and 90 mm from flange back propagate deeply. The types of bogies have great influence on wheel surface damage. In straight line operation, the braking forces will cause the transverse cracks near wheel centre, and the crack damage of wheels on locomotive with C0-C0 bogies is more severe than locomotive with 2(B0-B0) bogies, especially in large braking forces. In small curves, the transverse cracks occur on the outer wheels of the rear wheelsets for locomotive with C0-C0 bogies, and located on the band of 65–95 mm (mainly concentrated on 80 mm). While for locomotive with 2(B0-B0) bogies, the cracks occurred on the outer wheels of rear wheelsets concentrate on the position of 65 mm, while the cracks at this position have more chance to wear off. With the increase of curve radius, the crack damage of wheels decreased significantly, and its location moves to wheel centre correspondingly.