Analyses on Wheel-Rail Contact Using Finite Element Method during Passing through Curved Track

The three-dimensional elastic frictional finite element model of the wheel/rail interaction is put forward to investigate effect of the curve radius and superelevation on the contact stress and contact force of the rail. The interaction between left and right wheels is considered. The rail model includes 60 kg/m standard rail, sleeper, rail fastening, rubber tie plate and ballast bed. The elastic frictional contact problem is solved with finite element software JIFEX developed by state key laboratory of structural analysis for industrial equipment, Dalian University of Technology. The finite element method can avoid half-space assumption of Hertz method and non-Hertz method and accurately simulate the real geometry and the boundary condition of the wheel/rail. The numerical results indicate that the curve radius and super-elevation significantly effect contact stress and contact force distributions.