A comparison of analytical and numerical methods for the calculation of temperatures in wheel/rail contact

The maximum surface temperature during rolling contact of railway wheels with sliding friction can be estimated using Blok’s flash temperature formula. For a more detailed investigation, semi-analytical and numerical methods are available. A survey of various methods is given and an efficient approach is proposed for Hertzian contact. The actual contact temperature is confined to a very thin surface layer. Due to continuous frictional heating, the bulk temperature of the wheel increases with time. For the long-term behaviour of the wheel temperature, not only the convection at the free wheel surfaces but also the heat conduction from the wheel into the colder rail has to be considered. Practical consequences of the theoretical results are discussed.