Published Paper Details:

The operation of railway transportation relies on the wheel-rail interaction, which provides both support and guidance for railway vehicles, ensuring safe and smooth movement. When loads are transmitted through the wheels, contact stresses develop at the wheel-rail interface. These stresses can cause wear, deformation, and damage to both components, leading to increased maintenance and replacement costs. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the stresses generated due to variations in contact geometry resulting from changes in wheel and rail profile characteristics, including rail profile radius, wheel profile radius, and wheel taper. To investigate the influence of profile geometry, seven different profile radius values were selected for the R7T wheel and UIC60 rail, using material properties specified by European standards. Two analytical approaches were employed to determine contact stresses and maximum contact pressure: the Hertzian Contact Theory (HCT) and the Finite Element Method (FEM). A three-dimensional finite element model of the wheel-rail system was developed, and loading conditions were applied to evaluate stress distribution within the contact region. The results indicate that for a wheel radius of 330 mm and a rail radius of 300 mm, the equivalent stress values were almost closer. Likewise, for wheel and rail radii of 360 mm and 300 mm, the equivalent stress values were approximately nearer to one another. The findings of this research provide valuable insights into wheel-rail contact behaviour and may contribute to the improved design and optimization of railway systems.