Sensitivity analysis of the wheel–rail normal contact on the basis of continuous factors

Abstract

The exact characterization of the wheel–rail normal contact situations is essential for its wear, fatigue, and guidance analysis. To simulate this contact, numerous input parameters are required. Many of them have to be estimated. The aim of this sensitivity analysis was to investigate the direct effects and interactions of the input parameters on the contact pressure distribution of a freight wagon wheel on a straight track. For this purpose, a finite element model was parametrized in such a way that all the parameters were continuous. This research demonstrates that the output parameters of the wheel–rail contact simulations have a broad deviation and the input variable with the most influence on the contact form and position is the lateral displacement of the wheelset. Nevertheless, the profile shape of the wheel and rail, the wheel radius, and the relative wheel–rail inclination are important input parameters as well, and also need to be considered for exact simulations of the wheel–rail contact. On the other hand, the deviation of material parameters of wheel and rail steel can be neglected.