Effect of Rail Surface Roughness on Wheel Wear

Abstract

The paper focuses on investigating the impact of rail surface roughness on wheel wear in train systems. The roughness of the rail surface is affected by various factors, and it has been observed to cause mechanical and thermal stresses that affect the wear and tear of train wheels. Severe wheel tread wear can cause a variety of problems, including increased running resistance, vehicle instability, and derailment. To solve these problems effectively, various assumptions are often made, such as the non-influence of surface roughness and heat generated during the contact. However, these assumptions could lead to an increase in unaccounted internal and external forces during the wheel-rail interaction, thereby increasing the wheel wear rate. Therefore, this paper aims to closely examine the impact of wheel-rail contact problems caused by the presumption of noninfluence of surface roughness.