Mechanical Wear Contact between the Wheel and Rail on a Turnout with Variable Stiffness

The operation and maintenance of railroad turnouts for rail vehicle traffic moving at speeds from 200 km/h to 350 km/h significantly differ from the processes of track operation without turnouts, curves, and crossings. Intensive wear of the railroad turnout components (switch blade, retaining rods,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jerzy Kisilowski, Rafał Kowalik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-11-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/22/7520
_version_ 1797510542788657152
author Jerzy Kisilowski
Rafał Kowalik
author_facet Jerzy Kisilowski
Rafał Kowalik
author_sort Jerzy Kisilowski
collection DOAJ
description The operation and maintenance of railroad turnouts for rail vehicle traffic moving at speeds from 200 km/h to 350 km/h significantly differ from the processes of track operation without turnouts, curves, and crossings. Intensive wear of the railroad turnout components (switch blade, retaining rods, rails, and cross-brace) occurs. The movement of a rail vehicle on a switch causes high-dynamic impact, including vertical, normal, and lateral forces. This causes intensive rail and wheel wear. This paper presents the wear of rails and of the needle in a railroad turnout on a straight track. Geometrical irregularities of the track and the generation of vertical and normal forces occurring at the point of contact of the wheel with turnout elements are additionally considered in this study. To analyse the causes of rail wear in turnouts, selected technical–operational parameters were assumed, such as the type of rail vehicle, the type of turnout, and the maximum allowable axle load. The wear process of turnout elements (along its length) and wheel wear is presented. An important element, considering the occurrence of large vertical and normal forces affecting wear and tear, was the adoption of variable track stiffness along the switch. This stiffness is assumed according to the results of measurements on the real track. The wear processes were determined by using the work of Kalker and Chudzikiewicz as a basis. This paper presents results from simulation studies of wear and wear coefficients for different speeds. Wear results were compared with nominal rail and wheel shapes. Finally, conclusions from the tests are formulated.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T05:32:53Z
format Article
id doaj.art-d24cd1c15a1a456781bc8c54d74eae6c
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1996-1073
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T05:32:53Z
publishDate 2021-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj.art-d24cd1c15a1a456781bc8c54d74eae6c2023-11-22T23:09:33ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-11-011422752010.3390/en14227520Mechanical Wear Contact between the Wheel and Rail on a Turnout with Variable StiffnessJerzy Kisilowski0Rafał Kowalik1Faculty of Transport, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Technology and Humanities, 26-600 Radom, PolandDepartment of Avionics and Control Systems, Faculty of Aviation Division, Military University of Aviation, 08-521 Deblin, PolandThe operation and maintenance of railroad turnouts for rail vehicle traffic moving at speeds from 200 km/h to 350 km/h significantly differ from the processes of track operation without turnouts, curves, and crossings. Intensive wear of the railroad turnout components (switch blade, retaining rods, rails, and cross-brace) occurs. The movement of a rail vehicle on a switch causes high-dynamic impact, including vertical, normal, and lateral forces. This causes intensive rail and wheel wear. This paper presents the wear of rails and of the needle in a railroad turnout on a straight track. Geometrical irregularities of the track and the generation of vertical and normal forces occurring at the point of contact of the wheel with turnout elements are additionally considered in this study. To analyse the causes of rail wear in turnouts, selected technical–operational parameters were assumed, such as the type of rail vehicle, the type of turnout, and the maximum allowable axle load. The wear process of turnout elements (along its length) and wheel wear is presented. An important element, considering the occurrence of large vertical and normal forces affecting wear and tear, was the adoption of variable track stiffness along the switch. This stiffness is assumed according to the results of measurements on the real track. The wear processes were determined by using the work of Kalker and Chudzikiewicz as a basis. This paper presents results from simulation studies of wear and wear coefficients for different speeds. Wear results were compared with nominal rail and wheel shapes. Finally, conclusions from the tests are formulated.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/22/7520wearturnoutrailstiffnesshigh-speed
spellingShingle Jerzy Kisilowski
Rafał Kowalik
Mechanical Wear Contact between the Wheel and Rail on a Turnout with Variable Stiffness
Energies
wear
turnout
rail
stiffness
high-speed
title Mechanical Wear Contact between the Wheel and Rail on a Turnout with Variable Stiffness
title_full Mechanical Wear Contact between the Wheel and Rail on a Turnout with Variable Stiffness
title_fullStr Mechanical Wear Contact between the Wheel and Rail on a Turnout with Variable Stiffness
title_full_unstemmed Mechanical Wear Contact between the Wheel and Rail on a Turnout with Variable Stiffness
title_short Mechanical Wear Contact between the Wheel and Rail on a Turnout with Variable Stiffness
title_sort mechanical wear contact between the wheel and rail on a turnout with variable stiffness
topic wear
turnout
rail
stiffness
high-speed
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/22/7520
work_keys_str_mv AT jerzykisilowski mechanicalwearcontactbetweenthewheelandrailonaturnoutwithvariablestiffness
AT rafałkowalik mechanicalwearcontactbetweenthewheelandrailonaturnoutwithvariablestiffness