Elastic-Plastic Finite Element Analysis of Nonsteady State Partial Slip Wheel-Rail Rolling Contact

Abstract

A finite element analysis with the implementation of an advanced cyclic plasticity theory was conducted to study the elastic-plastic deformation under the nonsteady state rolling contact between a wheel and a rail. The consideration of nonsteady state rolling contact was restricted to a harmonic variation of the wheel-rail normal contact force. The normal contact pressure was idealized as the Hertzian distribution, and the tangential force presented by Carter was used. Detailed rolling contact stresses and strains were obtained for repeated rolling contact. The harmonic variation of the normal (vertical) contact force results in a wavy rolling contact surface profile. The results can help understand the influence of plastic deformation on the rail corrugation initiation and growth. The creepage or stick-slip condition greatly influences the residual stresses and strains. While the residual strains and surface displacements increased at a reduced rate with increasing rolling passes, the residual stresses stabilize after a limited number of rolling passes. The residual stresses and strains near the wave trough of the residual wavy deformation are higher than those near the wave crest.