Thermo-mechanical modelling of residual stresses induced by martensitic phase transformation and cooling during quenching of railway wheels

A finite element (FE) method was used to study the formation of residual stresses in low carbon bainitic–martensitic rail wheels. The FE model combines a commercially available heat treatment software DANTE to the finite element analysis software ABAQUS. Material data which include thermo-mechanical properties and kinetics of phase transformations for low carbon bainitic–martensitic (LCBM) steels were obtained from dilatometry experiments and added to DANTE material library. The results showed that quenching conditions can be designed to promote the development of compressive residual stresses in the rim of LCBM rail wheels making it possible to produce LCBM steel rail wheels, which have superior properties compared to conventional pearlitic steels.