Influence of grinding pressure on removal behaviours of rail material

Abstract The influence of grinding pressure on the removal behaviours of rail material was investigated using a rail grinding simulation testing apparatus. Grinding tests were performed at three types of section radius of rail head. The results indicated that with the increase in the grinding pressure, the grinding efficiency was obviously improved and the grinding amount and chip thickness were increased. However, the surface quality became worse and residual stresses were increased. Furthermore, surface burn occurred when the grinding pressure was larger than 1600 N at R 13, 1800 N at R 80, and 2000 N at R 300, respectively. The grinding debris was composed of curled chips, lump chips, and spherical debris. In addition, the wear mechanism of abrasive grains presented macro fracture.