3D finite element investigation on the plastic flows of rolling contacts—correlation with railhead microstructural observations

In this work, a three-dimensional elasto-plastic finite element model is used to simulate the rail mechanical response to the action of a rolling wheel. Plastic flows in the near-surface layer are computed as a function of the traction coefficient. The depth and the distortion of the plastically deformed layer are analysed versus this traction coefficient and correlated qualitatively to the microstructural observations of plastic flows in real railheads and existing theoretical studies. The deviations of the numerical results with reality are discussed in terms of the presence of a solid third body layer, neglected in the simulations.