Modeling of the contact spot arising from the interaction of a wheel and a rail, for different variants of the mode of the freight train driving mode

Abstract

   For the safe and smooth movement of a rail carriage along a railway track, effective interaction of the wheel and the rail is necessary, which directly depends on technical (the condition of the wheel-rail pair), dynamic (the design and condition of the railway track), tribological (the amount of friction on the contacting surfaces) and numerous other factors. The frictional resistance that occurs during movement, especially in curved sections of the track, affects the wear of wheels and rails, increased electricity consumption, and disruption of the path.
   The article presents the results of modeling the change in the area of the contact spot that occurs between the wheel and the rail during the movement of a freight train. The main emphasis is placed on curved sections with variants of the macro geometry of the path, which made it possible to implement several driving modes during movement and wear of the profiles of the pair. This direction is in demand at the present time, not only from the side of the track, but also for power services and services of the carriage and locomotive farms, because the interaction is influenced not only by the condition of the contacting surfaces, but also by the traction characteristics developed by the crew during movement.
   The study was carried out by means of simulation modeling, in a software package, of the movement of a freight train movement. The current section of the Sverdlovsk Railway was taken; traffic in two directions was modeled. Two possible states of wear of the wheel-rail pair are considered and three main modes of train driving are obtained. Visual comparative diagrams are constructed for each of the considered radii of the curves of the sections of the path. In conclusion, the main conclusions are made and tasks are set that require solutions and further research.