Simulation of wheel–rail contact and damage in switches & crossings

A methodology for the simulation of degradation of rail profiles in switches & crossings (S&C) is presented. The methodology includes: simulation of dynamic vehicle–track interaction considering stochastic variations in input data (such as wheel profile, train speed and wheel–rail friction coefficient), simulation of wheel–rail contacts accounting for non-linear material properties and plasticity, and simulation of wear and plastic deformation in the rail during the life of the S&C component. The methodology is demonstrated by predicting the damage of a switch rail profile, manufactured from R260 steel, when exposed to freight traffic in the diverging route (facing move). In particular, the consequences of increasing the axle load from 25 tonnes to 30 tonnes are studied.