An Experimental Investigation on Wear of Rail in Different Curve Radius

Abstract:

Among the rail defects, the transverse fatigue crack, which has been the most dangerous damage, is developed near the rail running face and grows perpendicular to the rail surface. Finally, the transverse fatigue crack would result in the failure of railway rail. In this paper, the rolling tests were performed using a JD-1 wheel/rail simulation facility without any lubricant. The tester is composed of a small wheel served as rail and a larger wheel served as wheel. The fatigue behavior of rail rollers with different materials and curve radius were investigated in detail by examining wear volume and wear scar using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that with curve radius decreasing, the wear volume of rail roller increases rapidly and the fatigue damage becomes severe. Furthermore, the cracking propagation angle increases obviously with curve radius decreasing and fatigue wear is dominating during the wear process. There appears distinct plastic deformation on the section of rail roller under small curve radius condition. For the same curve radius, the wear volume of PD3 rail is more than that of PG4 rail and the plastic deformation is more obvious. Moreover, the cracking propagation angle of PD3 rail material is smaller than that of PG4 rail. In conclusion, PG4 rail material is not suitable for the high-speed railway.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 739)
• Pages: 458-461
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.739.458
• Online since: August 2013
• Authors: W. Zhong, P. Chen, Y. Wang
• Keywords: Curve Radius, Plastic Deformation, Rail, Wear

References

[1] R. Stock, R. Pippan: RCF and wear in theory and practice-The influence of rail grade on wear and RCF. Wear Vol. 271(2010), pp.125-133.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2010.10.015

[2] M. Ignestia, M. Malvezzib, L. Marinia, E. Melia, A. Rindia: Development of a wear model for the prediction of wheel and rail profile evolution in railway systems. Wear. Vol. 284–285, (2012), p.1–17.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2012.01.020

[3] D.I. Fletcher, J.H. Beynon: Development of a machine for closely controlled rolling contact fatigue and wear testing, J. Test. Eval. Vol. 28(2000), pp.267-275.

DOI: 10.1520/jte12104j

[4] H.D. Grohmann, Klaus Hempelmann, Arnold Grob-Thebing: A new type of RCF, experimental investigations and theoretical modelling. Wear. Vol. 25(2002) , pp.67-74.

DOI: 10.1016/s0043-1648(02)00084-4

[5] Y. Zhua, U. Olofssona, K. Perssonb: Investigation of factors influencing wheel–rail adhesion using a mini-traction machine. Wear. Vol. 292–293, (2012), p.218–231.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2012.05.006

[6] W. Zhong, J.J. Hu, P Shen, C.Y. Wang, Q.Y. Liu: Experimental Investigation between Rolling Contact Fatigue and Wear of High-speed and Heavy-haul Railway and Selection of Rail Material. Wear. Vol. 271, ( 2011), pp.2485-2495.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2010.12.053

[7] Ishida M, Ban T, Lida K, et al: Effect of moderating friction of wheel /rail interface on vehicle /track dynamic behaviour. Wear. Vol. 265(2008), pp.1497-1503.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2008.02.041

[8] Arias-Cuevas Oscar, Li Zili, Lewis Roger: A laboratory investigation on the influence of the particle size and slip during sanding on the adhesion and wear in the wheel-rail contact. Wear. Vol. 271, (2011), pp.14-24.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2010.10.050