Methodology to characterize the von Misses stress in the contact between wheel and rail (Test-Rig)

The aim of this work is to carry out a study about wheel-rail and wheel-roller interaction. The final objectives are the determination of the hertzian contact ellipse, the maximum contact pressure and the pressure distribution in the contact zone, as well as the von Mises stress in the wheel for their application in the design of bogie test rigs. In order to accomplish this task, two models have been developed: an analytical one based on the Hertz contact theory, and a numerical one using finite elements method. Analytical model is implemented over MATLAB. By this way, it is fast and easy to test and analyze the wheel-rail, wheel-roller and wheel-2 rollers interaction: different roller radii and two loading cases: 50 and 100 kN per wheel. For the numerical model, it has been designed in CREO Parametric the same elements tested in the analytical model. Then these components have been simulated by means of finite elements in CREO Simulate, refining the mesh in the contact zone. Contact analyses have been performed in the same conditions as the previous model, and contact areas, pressures and stresses are obtained.