Design and optimisation of wheel–rail profiles for adhesion improvement. Issue 3 (3rd March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, B.; Mei, T.X.; Bruni, S.
• Is Part Of: Vehicle system dynamics. Volume 54:Issue 3(2016:Mar.)
• Page Start: 429
• Page End: 444
• Publication Date: 2016-03-03
• Subjects: Optimisation -- wheel profile -- contact -- adhesion -- Weibull distribution; Motor vehicles -- Dynamics -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 629.231
• DOI: 10.1080/00423114.2015.1137958
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0042-3114

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper describes a study for the optimisation of the wheel profile in the wheel–rail system to increase the overall level of adhesion available at the contact interface, in particular to investigate how the wheel and rail profile combination may be designed to ensure the improved delivery of tractive/braking forces even in poor contact conditions. The research focuses on the geometric combination of both wheel and rail profiles to establish how the contact interface may be optimised to increase the adhesion level, but also to investigate how the change in the property of the contact mechanics at the wheel–rail interface may also lead to changes in the vehicle dynamic behaviour.