Tribological Aspects of Wheel–Rail Contact: A Review of Wear Mechanisms and Effective Factors on Rolling Contact Fatigue

Abstract

Nowadays, the railway is considered as a means of fast, aggregate and secure transportation. The issue of the rail and wheel contact is one of the most fundamental aspects in the railway system since inappropriate interactions create problems such as wear and a negative effect in the dynamic functioning of the train. In this research, we analyze one of the most important phenomenon in a railway system which is the contact of the rail and wheel. This review is done in the scope of the most fundamental deteriorating aspect of the rail and wheel system, the wear. The wear in the contact of objects along with its occurrence between the wheel and rail is also analyzed.

Keywords

Wear / Wheel–rail contact / Railway system / Surface roughness / Transportation / Inappropriate interaction

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